My Saviour, My Soul
by abski0206
Summary: A young girl stumbles across a certain spider demon as he is recovering from a fight. What happens when he is indebted to a young human? Will he feel bitter becaue of his debt, or will he finally begin to care for another?
1. Chapter 1

Her ginger curls bounced with each step as she gently skipped through the woods. She had, like most adventurous young girls, drifted away from her family who were situated near some picnic benches in the woodland. Of course, a proper young lady would never allow her light yellow dress to get muddy, but as she was only 6 it can be in this instance forgiven. She disliked greatly having to act like a lady, for as a child she did not find it entertaining, but rather boring. So that is what led her down the endless twisty pathway leading deeper and deeper into mystery.

The woodland, which had trees that looked as though they reached the sky, shadowed her small figure and shielded her from the blinding light. Giggling, she gave a small twirl pretending that she was a fairy which reminded her of the stories her nanny had recently read her before going to bed. Wishing she could fly, the small child jumped over the large tree roots that attempted to trip her up as she went further. Yet, her giggling was cut off rather abruptly when a rustling came from deeper in the woods. Now a normal child, or it is assumed that a normal child would do, is to run away from the sound. But Penelope on the other hand, looked only slightly nervous as she began to approach the sound. Something in the child's innocent mind echoed the hope that it was fairy, and therefore she found herself being drawn nearer to where the sound had came from.

Now she stood in perhaps one of the most beautiful places she had ever seen in her small life. Golden leaves littered the floor and occasionally the trees above would drop a few more, allowing the beams of sunlight to lick her porcelain skin. Green eyes full of innocence widened at the beauty and she gave a smile before looking for the source of the sound.

"H..hello?" She whispered quietly. The only reply that seemed to come was the trees creaking and small chirping of birds from above. Feeling as though she had been let down, Penelope slowly sank to the floor so that she coud lay there and watch the wildlife around her. But as she began to relax, she turned her head and was met with two glowing golden eyes from the bush very close to her. Her green eyes widened in shock and she jerked her body away, hoping to create more distant. The figure, who's own eyes had widened slightly, was led on his stomach and seemed to be struggling to breathe properly. His features, which were mostly shadowed, alarmed the girl as his skin was a lot paler than her own, which was rare since she had often been told by her parents that her skin was the palest they had ever seen.

But she didn't scream at the figure, as he seemed to expect. Watching her curiously, his eyebrows began to climb his forehead when she suddenly started to crawl towards him, very hesitantly. Her dress, which had once been beautifully pure was now soiled in leaves and dirt, yet Penelope didn't really mind. Her small heart raced as anxious thoughts flickered through her mind. When she was more or less a foot away from him, she slowly reached a hand to his face, and pressed her hand to his forehead. She had seen her mother do this a lot to her when she was ill, and it seemed to determine what was wrong. Hoping that it had the same effect, Penelope was shocked when her hand met ice cold skin. Flinching, she retreated her hand but carefully moved closer to get a better look at him.

"H..Hello, I..I'm Penelope!" She introduced with a smile. He didn't seem to react at first, instead staring at her as though she was something from another planet. Biting her chapped lips, she glanced at his body and gave a gasp when she saw a dark red liquid coming from his shirt. He reminded her of a butler, not one that her family had since the man in front of her was much better dressed. Getting an idea the young girl began to get up, in hope that she could find him help, yet she was suddenly pulled down by a cold hand on her wrist. Giving a cry of surprise, she ended up falling nearly on him, and very quickly tried to move away.

"Please don't be alarmed" came the calm yet raspy voice. She had ceased her struggling and now stared at him with large eyes.

"You're bleeding" she whimpered, obviously scared by his sudden actions. Noticing this, the man slowly sat up, grunting slightly at the pain, and placed his free hand over the wound. This caused him to hiss, making Penelope flinch in his grasp once more. Giving her his full attention, he was intrigued , most children and adults would have screamed or cried by now, yet she stayed quiet and seemed more concerned with his health. Smiling at her innocence, he could smell her soul now that he focused on it, and he was surprised he didn't start drooling. It was perhaps one of the most innocent soul he had come across in his entire existence, and he wanted it. Badly.

"A pleasure to meet you Penelope, my name is Claude Faustus". He bowed his head, but did not let go of the child's hand. Penelope, who hadn't expected a reply, smiled and nodded showing that she was happy. But this was short lived as concern was evident on her face as the blood had now stained Claude's once white glove entirely.

"Let me go and get help" she said quietly, and began to pull her hand away. However this was stopped as he suddenly tugged her arm making the young girl face to face to him. She could even feel his cold breath on her cheeks.

"Do you truly want to help?" Claude asked, feeling confused. In his life, no one had ever been willing to help him, not without something in return and yet here was this child, who's soul seemed so pure, willing to help for nothing.

She nodded her head enthusiastically, trying to convey how much she wanted him to be better. Penelope didn't like to see people in pain, or animals for that matter. She remembered her horrible cousin killing a ladybird and how she had spent an hour crying afterwards. Her parents found it silly, but her nanny on the other hand had said that it only shows how caring she was as a person.

Happy that she was willing to help him, Claude slowly lifted the small girls hand and with one sharp nail, began to cut the skin. Penelope was transfixed on the scene in front of her, her eyes felt heavy and her body felt as though she was floating on a cloud. She didn't even react to the small stinging pain on her hand. All that she remembered was two red eyes blazing like fire, and her hand feeling a sudden warmth around it.

Claude had watched with blood lust filled eyes as the girl collapsed to the ground. Sucking gently on her petite hand, he couldn't suppress the moan that was emitted from his mouth. Her blood tasted heavenly, if only he could compare. But he couldn't kill her, no, he was indebted to her now. She saved his life with her blood, and for as long as she lived he would have to protect her from harm. Unless she asked for a favour. Thankfully, he thought, she was a child and therefore would ask for something frivolous like a pony, or a new doll. This would erase his immediate debt and allow him to peruse another soul. Although he so wished that he could have hers.

Feeling the wound close, he slipped his stained glove off and brought the child into his arms. Feeling the protective instincts already flaring up, he began to rock her back and forth in a soothing manner, hoping she would awake soon. He was glad that his ability to make humans sleep worked on the child as he hardly wanted to cause her any pain. For she had saved him after all. Feeling her stir in his arms, two bright green eyes shined up at him, and instead of a scream he had expected, she smiled.

"Are you feeling better?!" She cried happily. 'Ahhh' he thought 'it must have removed her short-term memory'. Smiling back, hoping it didn't look like a grimace, he nodded.

"Yes thank you Penelope, and all because of you". She seemed to find this confusing and before she could ask why, Claude began to explain the debt that he now owed.

"Because you helped me, I am now at your service, I can grant you any wish, anything your heart desires. All you have to do is say" he couldn't help but smile as the girl who was in his arms scrunched up her face in concentration. She was obviously thinking had about her wish.

Penelope couldn't think however. She did not want any toys, for she preferred her nanny to read to her. She had no interest in clothes. And then she thought of it, although she had nanny, she was often very lonely. She wanted a friend, a friend forever.

"I wish that you can be my friend forever!" She exclaimed happily, before hugging him tightly around the neck. At that moment Claude couldn't believe what he had got himself into. Not only was he to now serve a child as a friend. Which he had no experience in being. But he had to be around the girl, who's soul was far too tempting.

"If that is what you wish, then that is what you shall get" he replied, hoping she didn't hear the agitation in his voice.

-11 YEARS LATER-

Penelope smiled to herself as she snuggled closer into her friends side. For as long as she could remember, Claude had read her stories and even at the age of 17 she didn't get bored. His calm voice entranced her and although the stories were interesting, he would always make her drift off to sleep. So moving the deep orange curls that framed her face out of the way, she suddenly sat up and stared at him. He didn't seem to care, as he carried on reading which made her chuckle. He seemed to put up with her odd behaviour rather well, and she wondered what he had dealt with in the past.

Yes she knew he was a demon. On her 7th Birthday, a new butler had enrolled at her small estate and of course she was beyond happy as he had kept his word. On her 10th birthday her father passed away leaving everything to her mother. Then only 5 years later, her mother who had been on a trip in Scotland had died in a horrible train crash, meaning ultimately everything was now Penelope's. She found out he was a demon very soon after, as her crazy uncle came around to the estate and demanded she handed over all of her family wealth to him. When she had declined, he had attempted to kill her and that is when she saw her friend as he truly was. A monster. All that was left of her uncle was a bloody mess and Penelope had been so scared of Claude that she was considering running away. However, he had obviously sensed this and began to explain what he was to her. At 15 years old, Penelope would not be ashamed to say she fainted, and it took her a while to come to terms with it. But when she did, she tried to see him as more of a guardian angel than a demon, as to her he had always been kind.

So as she stared at him, she began to truly wonder what he thought of her. Did he really like her as a friend or was this the outcome of a child's dream? She felt sick at the thought of him actually hating her. But she had to know. Unfortunately she couldn't ask the serious question whilst her legs were entangled with his own and her body basically wrapped around his own. So sitting up and making sure she wasn't touching him at all, Penelope took a deep breath, gaining his attention at last.

Gold eyes met light green.

"Claude, do you really see me as a friend? Or am I just a debt you need to pay?"


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N I forgot to add this earlier on! **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my OC Penelope! **

(Claude POV)

"Claude, do you really see me as a friend? Or am I just a debt you need to pay?"

Her words echoed in his mind. For a moment he felt his entire brain go dead, as though he couldn't formulate any thoughts. But her large eyes broke him out of his trance. Leaning foreword, he opened his mouth to answer.

-*Flashback* -

Claude once again was watching the child run around her garden whilst attempting to make the kite fly. It had been two years since she had saved him, and here he was playing butler again. His manipulation of the chores meant that he found himself hanging the washing up, allowing him to have a direct view of the human who had entrapped him.

He had found, when he joined the household, it was not too extravagant, but it was obvious their family had money. Yet, what he found most odd was that she was the only child and had not been betrothed, as this was a usual custom, even for children at a young age. Everything about the child was odd, he decided. She was shy around other children and would often hide behind his leg when strangers were around. And of course she was chastised immediately and forced to show herself. It was in those moments that Clause had the strong urge to take her into his arms and shield her from the world. But he put those feelings down to having to be in her debt.

As he watched her attempt once more to make the kite fly, he sighed and decided to help. He had to be a friend, and he would be damned if he couldn't do it well. Walking over to where the red head bounced up and down, he had to control the smile that threatened to break out on his face. Her eyes lit up, before she then abandoned the kite to jump into his already waiting arms. For someone who was so shy, she readily had trusted him. She was so peculiar, he had yet to work her out.

"Claude!" She giggled happily as he twirled her around a couple of times. Placing her down, he allowed the girl to grab his hand and swing it back and forth as he led her back to the abandoned activity.

"I'm sorry to inform you Penelope, but there is a lack of wind". He spoke softly as he collected the kite in his hands, however, the pout that graced the curly haired girl caused a pain in his chest. Sighing he moved his hand gracefully in the air and before he knew it, a large gust of air broke out.

Giving her the kite, he held it in the air and watched her face which grew with excitement as she laughed. The kite was now in full flight and Penelope squealed with happiness. Making sure she wasn't going to hurt herself, he patted her head before walking back to his chores. At times like this, he needed to put space between them. This is mainly because her soul still smelt absolutely divine and her happiness seemed to make his hunger increase. Of course, he would tell himself, it wasn't because he was starting to care for the girl.

-*Another Flashback*-

As the sole owner of the estate, Penelope had grown up well. Her childish nature had nearly gone. But not totally, as Claude discovered. For the second time that day, the red head had stolen his glasses and he was looking for her once more. Of course he knew where she was, but that would have ruined her fun. So as both a friend and loyal butler, he played her game.

Seeing her, hidden behind one of the large purple curtains, he chuckled and in seconds was by her side, pulling it away form her body. She gave a squeak of surprise, which turned to a fit of giggles.

"Found me!" She exclaimed and carefully put his glasses on for him. Claude would do nearly anything to keep the smile on her face. For only the previous year, she had been in a constant state of mourning over her mother. It had seemed for a moment that she had completely broken. But what had shocked him the most, was one morning when she woke up and told him that she couldn't carry on. He had thought for a dreaded moment that she wanted to die, and couldn't describe the powerful emotion that consumed him. For so long, he had felt a bitter resentment towards her for picking such a silly wish, for him to be her friend. But as she had grown up, his bitterness has turned to desire, and not just for her soul. He was just about to give her a piece of his mind, when she hugged him.

"I can't carry on mourning them, they are gone and I must remember them as they were. I'm sorry for being so down lately Claude, it has been over seven months since the accident. I'm sorry for being a bad friend". She had pulled back and bowed her head in shame.

Suddenly, shocking both Claude and Penelope, he brought her into his arms and hugged her tightly, wishing for the first time he could do more. His eyes had become a fiery red and he tried to calm down the lust that was growing. After a few minutes, he looked her straight in the eyes.

"It's only natural to mourn Penelope, in no way have you been a bad friend. Never say that again". Penelope in shock had nodded slowly, and before she could say anything he had moved away and told her she needed to get dressed. Watching him leave, she couldn't wipe the smile off her face, shocking the maid who had just entered.

-*PRESENT*-

"I.." He paused. "I'm you friend mistress".

Glaring at him, Penelope moved herself of the bed, not caring it was almost midnight, and started to leave the room. Her pale green nightdress floated around her porcelain ankles as she walked through the dark corridor. Trying to brush the stray tears that trickled down her cheeks, she started to run, hoping to getaway far away from the demon as she could.

He watched her leave in shock, wondering how he could have upset her. Sighing, an unsettling feeling settled in his stomach as he got up to follow her. She was indeed a peculiar girl. And with that last thought, Claude set off hunting for the peculiar girl who he not only lusted after but more importantly cared for.


	3. Chapter 3

"I.." He paused. "I'm you friend mistress".

(Penelope's POV)

Running had easily caused her to become out of breath. She grumbled angrily at her body for failing her, and internally cursed Claude. Of course she had not run away because he called her his friend. It was the name he called her. 'Mistress'. She detested the title. The title restricted their friendship, and every time he called it her, she swore it broke her heart a little bit more.

Climbing the stairs that led to the attic, she carefully shut the door behind her already knowing that he would find her easily enough. The attic was creepy to say the least, cobwebs littered the corners and although Penelope was terrified of spiders, Clause had always chastised her for being so fearful. She remembered the first time she screamed because of a spider and his reaction.

-*FlashBack*-

At eleven years old, Penelope had flaming red hair that always ended up in a series of tangles due to her playing in the garden. So it was usually her maids job to remove all the twigs and leaves from her hair. But, in this particular occasion the maid had been sent on an errand by her mother. So, in an attempt not to get told off by her mother for looking like she had crawled out of a bush, which she had done, Penelope had started the job of removing shrubbery from her hair. Laughing at a particularly large leaf, she smiled thinking about how she looked like the flower fairies that her nanny, Lucy, had shown her when she s little. Lucy at this time had other children to take care of who were younger than Penelope, meaning that she only saw her three times a week.

Carrying in with the task at hand, she watched in the mirror as two long black legs crawled from just above her left side of her head. There tangled amongst her curly red hair was one of the biggest spiders she had seen in her life. Not wanting it to get on her face, or rather any more entangled, she decided against shaking her head. She also was fearful of moving it herself in case she harmed it, but above all she was just terrified in general. So closing her eyes tightly and putting her hands over them for good measure, she let out a glass shattering scream.

Within seconds of her scream, she felt a cold gloved hand turn her around. Shaking still, she whimpered.

"Penelope?" He asked, concern laced within his voice. Her reply was stuttered out quietly but he heard it. With careful precision, Claude had moved the spider gracefully from her curly hair and moved away from the child. As though she sensed his presence was gone, Penelope opened her eyes and ran to the furthest corner of the room.

"P..please don't hurt it!" She shouted out, shakily. Claude at this point had been going to the window, to release it and stopped in his tracks. Looking at Penelope, she was sure she saw amusement in his eyes but thought nothing of it. Before Claude could have replied, her mother, a tall dark haired lady and ran in the room.

"Penelope! Oh, my love are you ok? I heard your scream from outside" she said hurriedly as she pulled Penelope into a bear hug. Since the death of her father, Margaret, her mother and focused all her attention on her only daughter. This caused Penelope to feel guilty for the shock she had put her mother through and quietly explained the spider situation. Her mother, who had looked relieved but irritated, thanked Claude for helping Penelope. Before she left however, she turned to them both.

"You should have just killed it, it's only a pest" she spoke offhandedly and then left the room.

Looking upset, Penelope had shook her head at her mother's words wondering how she could say such cruel things. Looking over the Claude he gestured for her to come foreword. Walking to him, she flinched when she saw the spider still in his hand, but it was sitting rather still as though in a trance.

"Your mother is a fool for thinking such things as a pest Penelope" he spoke with a calm voice, but she could detect the anger behind the words. "Spiders are beautiful creatures, and yet they endure such cruelty from the world. I hope that one day you will realise that Penelope". And with those words he opened the window and placed in gently out. As he turned to leave however, she grabbed his sleeve.

"I don't doubt their beauty Claude, and I would never hurt one, why do you think I didn't move? Or touch it? I probably would have caused more harm. It's not my fault that I fear them". Smiling at him, she then hugged him as a thank you and carried on with removing the twigs in her hair. Yet as she started moving the foliage from her messy hair, she saw Claude in the reflection of the mirror bat her hands out of the way and did the job for her. They both didn't speak throughout the time, but as he finished he turned her around and rubbed her cheek with a gloved thumb fondly.

As he left, Penelope couldn't quite understand why he seemed do happy, but she like that. What she did learn though, was his protective nature over spiders and she giggled at the thought.

-*END OF FLASHBACK*-

Shuddering at the thought of how many spiders were in the attic, without any hesitation she opened the window leading to the roof and began to gingerly climb it. And no dear reader, she wasn't going to throw herself of the roof. Penelope often came to the roof when she wanted to escape something. And this particular something was demon shaped and wore glasses.

It was only when she found out he was a demon that he had treated her so differently. No longer did he call her by her actual name, but instead chose 'mistress'. He stopped hugging her soon after and now as a seventeen young lady, he hardly made any contact. The only contact she had with him was when she snuggled next to him as he read to her. It's not as though Penelope craved human affection, but considering she lived in a moderately large estate with only Claude and her maid for company, she couldn't help but feel lonely. Especially since Claude refused to be near her anymore.

Leaning back so that she was staring at the moon, she wished her nanny hadn't have died. Penelope had been so shocked by her death, as she was only in her thirties. But according to Claude, it had been an accident. An accident with a carriage in the middle of town. Although, Penelope found it slightly suspicious since there was never and article about it in the newspaper. At the time, Claude had made an excuse about the newspaper not finding it interesting, and as naive as she had been she believed him. But after the night she found out he was a demon, her trust for him had slightly faltered. Hearing a noise from below, she stood up quickly and began to run to the other side of the roof.

Thanking the gods that there were some ladders that led down to her parents balcony, she hurriedly pulled her dress up and began to climb down. Reaching the bottom, she opened the double doors easily and entered quietly. However, as she shut the doors behind her she felt an ominous presence. The doors were always locked at night, and the room had gone extremely cold. Lighting a nearby candle with the matched that her father had kept in his draws, she watched the room become slowly more visible.

No one was there and she gave a sigh of relief, walking to the door that led to the corridor, she locked it from the inside and hoped that Claude wouldn't be able to get in. So, realising she would be there for the rest of the night, she went and sat on her parents bed. It had been a long time since she had been in this room, and if she concentrated hard enough, she could actually smell them. Smiling fondly, she laid back down and glance around the cream room. The wallpaper had always intrigued her and she found herself once again trying to name the cream coloured flowers that littered the walls.

As a child she would often come in here while her mother dressed and play at her dressing table pretending to be a princess. It always resulted in her mother laughing at the sight of Penelope with bright red cheeks from too much blusher. Then being forced to wash it off by her father. Her father, although caring had never been a man for jokes. He would always find the serious side to everything. He hated that she would run around the garden when she was younger and once even slapped her for talking about fairies, saying that they were a made fantasy, and she was too old to be thinking of such things. She had only been eight at the time. Claude, on the other hand, had been ready to hit her father and she saw it in his eyes. However calm his posture was, his eyes were like an emotional gateway. One that she could see into. Even at eight years old, Penelope had managed to calm Claude down by hugging him and although she had tears slipping down the bruised cheek, her words had somehow caused his anger to turn to concern for her wellbeing.

Thinking back, it was rather odd that days later after her father had hit her, his favourite cane had snapped in two. In fact. As she thought about it, every time her father would hit her, which wasn't often but did occur, something bad would happen to him. Such as his favourite books falling into the fireplace and on one occasion which had been a week after he shouted at her and had hit her harder that should have been intended, her father had been mugged in London, where he would work in the week. He had come home with a black eye, a fractured rib and a missing tooth. Now as she thought about it, she wouldn't have been surprised if it had all been Claude's doing. She would ask him when she wasn't in a mood with him, as he had displayed his protective nature for her before, and that had been extreme.

A sudden noise from downstairs which sounded like a crash caused Penelope to jump out of her memories and thoughts. Two more louder crashes followed and for a moment Penelope considered going to have a look. But then she took into account that Claude may be mad and was taking it out on the furniture. It wouldn't have surprised her really. So feeling scared, she got under the blankets and closed her eyes tightly, trying to ignore the growing sounds from below. It reminded her of that dreadful night she nearly died.

**A/N **

**Hope everyone is enjoying this, I have actually (by some miracle) planned out the rest of the story! So hopefully there will be a lack of writers block. Anyway I decide to write this becaue I feel like there I'd a lack of Claude x Oc fanfiction. So I wanted to contribute! Anyway, if you are enjoying this, I will have some more chapters out soon! Feel free to review! **

**And thanks to S-Lioness for reviewing, as this won't be a One-Shot anymore! **


	4. Chapter 4

A/N Hi! I just wanted to warn there is an attempted rape in this chapter, it isn't too detailed so don't worry. But if you don't like it, don't feel as though you need to read it! However, it is an important part of the story and although I don't think I need to change the rating, I still wanted to warn some readers out there. Also some mild language! Please enjoy and review, more coming up shortly! :)

-*FlashBack*-

It had been a year since her mother died. At sixteen years old Penelope was the sole owner of the entire estate and therefore had all the wealth of her family. For two months her uncle, who had never been interested in her family before, wrote letter after letter in an attempt to get her attention. Some were letters of condolence, wishing her well. Others were enquiries about the will and the estate, asking mostly about anything left to him. She had for the most part ignored them, and felt agitated that he only cared for the money.

So when she got a letter which had a rather colourful use of language describing her as a money grabbing b**ch, Penelope had been both hurt and angry.

"How dare he say such things?! He has only ever met me three times, and I was only a child! I can't believe him, it's not my fault that my mother's will left everything to me!" Penelope had ranted to Lucy her nanny. She had become friends with Lucy over the years and often discussed more girly topics with her rather than Claude, feeling as though they would be awkward. Lucy just nodded her head and slowly brushed through her straight hair which was as black as oil. She no longer needed to care for Penelope as a nanny would, but due to her having a teaching degree, she worked part-time as a tutor for Penelope. Claude would usually teach her when Lucy was not able to.

"Perhaps you should just give him some money and he will be on his way" Lucy said smiling, hoping to get Penelope out of her mood. But this only worsened it.

"But it isn't rightfully his, and to my knowledge, he is financially comfortable at the moment and therefore is just being greedy" Penelope grumbled back. Looking at her notes she had taken before receiving the letter, she sighed and asked for the lesson in Latin to continue.

Two hours later, Lucy had left and Penelope found herself sat at the long dining table ideally pushing the food around her plate. She just couldn't understand why the letter hurt so much. Was it because she had never been called such horrid things before? Or was it because she felt guilty for keeping the money herself?

Not noticing the presence of her friend and butler behind her, she buried her face in her hands and tried to stifle the sobs that broke out. She had always been kind to people and now she was beginning to feel like a horrid person. Suddenly she felt her chair turn around and two long arms pull her into his grasp. Putting her arms around Claude's neck she buried her face into the side of his neck and tried to control her breathing. After a couple of minutes of Claude rubbing her back and trying to soothe her, he picked her up and carried her to her bedroom. It was only early but he felt her exhaustion radiating from her body.

Sitting her down on her pale coloured bed, he carefully found her night clothes and made his way to unfasten her corset. Penelope had blushed since it was the maids duty, but didn't say anything. His cold hands methodically untied the corset and he pulled the ribbon, causing her to sigh. She had often criticised the corset for being so tight yet she wore it because she had to. When he had removed the offending article he turned his back to her so he didn't see through the light material of her under shirt.

"I will call the maid to help you dress, then I will return with some hot chocolate" he said simply and removed himself from the room.

Seconds later the maid came in blushing, obviously she had bumped to Claude, and helped Penelope get dressed. Penelope could dress herself and found it annoying that someone else had to help her, but Claude and her parents had told her numerous times that she must, as it reflected her status in society.

Dressed in her violet night dress, which had white lace at the bottom, Penelope got herself in bed and wriggled around in the covers to make them warmer. Claude had just came in whilst she was wriggling in the bed and gave her a look that expressed his concern for her sanity. Laughing at this, Penelope stopped and gave a bounce when she saw the hot chocolate. She may have been an intelligent fifteen year old, but it didn't stop her acting like a child sometimes. Not that it was always a bad thing.

"I was warming up the bed". She explained and took the offered cup from Claude, he in return just nodded and gave a small smile. In all honesty it looked more like a twitch of the lips, but Penelope assured herself it was a smile. She took a sip and then grimaced at how hot it was, waving her free hand over her mouth to cool it down.

"I have reminded you many time Penelope to not drink it so quickly. I even put milk and cream in it to cool it down".

"I know, I'm sorry, I will remember next time" she said as she put the hot liquid next to her bedside. As she sat up, two larger hands hands cupped her face, making her look directly into gold coloured eyes.

"Has anyone ever told you Claude, your eyes are a very strange colour". She paused watching his perfectly black eyebrows raise. "Wait... That sounded bad, I meant it in a good way! They are almost golden, in fact they probably could be considered golden..." She nervously spoke, trying to fix the mistake she made. And for the first time he openly chuckled in front of her.

She was so shocked, she even placed a hand on his forehead, like she had done when she first found him, in an attempt to feel his temperature. And like the first time, he was still ice cold.

"You do amuse me sometimes Penelope". He said with a smirk, causing Penelope to blush. She would be lying if she said he didn't look charming at that moment. She had witnessed countless women in Claude's presence, especially when shopping, who had all tried to flirt with him. His tall figure, slim body with well defined chest muscles beneath his shirt and of course his coal black hair and piercing eyes, did make him a sight to behold. However, Penelope saw him as a friend and therefore would treat him as such. Even if he was a very handsome friend. Her daydreaming on his looks were cut short when he patted her cheek to gain her attention.

"What I wanted to talk to you about is about what occurred previously. What had caused you to get so upset?" He asked.

Removing his hands from her face, Penelope moved and put her hand under her pillow, pulling out the letter from her uncle. She knew how angry he could get when people hurt her, even if it was just verbally. Once a man had bumped into her and although she said it was fine, as she exited the shop, she couldn't find Claude. When she looked down the street, she swore she saw Claude near an alleyway, and just as she reached there, Claude had pulled her away telling her it was time to leave. Upon leaving, she had thought she had heard a pain filled groan, but Claude had moved her quickly so she never found out.

Handing him the letter, that had crinkles due to her clenching it so hard, she watched his eyes narrow for a second. Her green orbs became transfixed on his facial expressions, but as this was Claude, he hardly moved, making the only emotional release being his eyes that she often believed he had no control of. Slowly, Claude's white clad hands crunched the letter into a neat ball. Putting it into his pocket, which she supposed he would throw out later, he looked at her.

"I do hope Penelope, that you don't believe his words". His voice sounded cold and she flinched at the tone, worrying that he was upset.

"But... Perhaps... I mean" she started to argue, but was cut of by a gloved finger pressed against her mouth. He moved his body so that he was almost on top of the red head, and moved his face so it was inches away.

"Don't even complete that sentence, in words or thoughts. He has no right to your money or estate. Moreover, he has absolutely no right to call you such things". He hissed, and then before she could blink, he had moved off her and was now standing by the side of her bed.

"Now don't let your hot chocolate become cold, it rather defeats the name of the drink". And with those words he left the room. Penelope had never seen him act so... Cold before. She thought that the room had even decreased in temperature. So, doing as she was told, she took a sip of the now warm liquid and smiled happily. She may have just endured Claude's cold behaviour, but deep down she knew it was because he was being protective.

It was half an hour later when she had just started to fall asleep, when the door to her bedroom opened with a creek. Keeping her eyes closed, she felt a hand stroke her forehead slowly.

"Penelope, I know you are not asleep" whispered Claude. Her only response was a small groan and her eyes flickering open. He responded by kneeing down in front of her, the nearly burnt out candles softly lighting his sharp features.

"I apologise for my actions before" he said softly and Penelope blinked in confusion. He noticed and continued.

"I believe I acted rather irrationally. I fear my unhappiness got the better of me, it clouded my senses and left you without any comfort. I do hope you can forgive my actions". He finished with his head bowed down. Looking at the man in front of her, Penelope gave a tired sigh and shook her head. She couldn't believe how silly he could be sometimes. Although she liked that he did apologies to her, as not many people did.

Claude had his head suddenly lifted my a much smaller pair of hands.

"I'm fine, actually you made me realise how stupid I was being. My uncle is just a greedy man who needs to sort himself out". She said with a nod of the head. Moving her hands, she was stopped when his captured her left hand and delicately placed a kiss just above the knuckles. Standing up, he leaned over her and grabbed the now empty cup.

"I'm glad you have taken a mature outlook on this situation. Is there anything else you would like this evening, before I retire?" He asked politely and moved slowly towards the door.

"No thank you Claude, sweet dreams!" She called out and snuggled into the sheets. As she fell asleep, the candle faded out and a soft voice said "goodnight".

About a month later, Penelope had forgotten about her uncle's hate filled letter and she waited patiently for Lucy, her nanny and tutor to arrive. Over the past week, Lucy would occasionally bring up her Uncle and Penelope would only answer that his language proved that he deserved none of her kindness. Looking out of the window, she kept glancing at the clock and then back wondering where Lucy could be. She had never been late before and always enjoyed her time with Penelope. Trying not to worry about her friend, for that's what she considered her, Penelope went in the library and started to read. However, an hour had gone by and she felt worry settling at the pit of her stomach.

"Claude?" She called out.

"Yes Penelope?" He replied from behind her, causing her to jump. Spinning around, then having to move her unruly flaming hair out of her face, and her mouth, she smiled.

"I swear you don't have footsteps, I don't know how you manage to appear out of thin air, but it's an amazing talent" she giggled, then stopped as she remembered why she needed him.

"Have you heard any news of Lucy? She is almost two hours late and I'm beginning to grow concerned". Claude gave her a blank look before replying.

"I have not heard from her, perhaps she is busy elsewhere". Penelope sighed and began to walk away.

"I don't know where you think your going Penelope, have you forgotten that you still need to have lessons?" He asked, causing her to stop in her tracks. She then skipped back over to Claude and allowed him to lead the way to her study, or rather her father's old study.

It was the next day when she received news that Lucy had been killed in a rather nasty carriage collision. For hours, Penelope had locked herself in her room and sobbed. Lucy was ultimately the only family apart from Claude that she had. For Lucy had even cared for her when she was just a baby. Lucy was the whole reason Penelope enjoyed reading and she remembered the times they spent playing games in the garden. However much Claude tried to get her to eat, Penelope just refused saying she was not hungry. But like any teenager, hunger did prevail as about eleven o'clock at night, did she knock on Claude's door asking for some toast.

They had sat in silence in the kitchen whilst she ate, but the silence was not uncomfortable. After eating she shyly made her way to him as he washed the plate. Claude suddenly felt two arms hug him from behind him and relaxed his tense body. When he finished his job, he turned around making sure not to accidentally hurt the girl. Pulling her closer, he then carried her light frame back to her bedroom and made sure she fell asleep.

Her grief only lasted a couple more days and by the end of the week, she was feeling better.

-THE NEXT DAY-

It had started of like any normal day in her household. She would have Claude wake her up with breakfast, usually her favourite. Then her maid, Daisy, would dress her, or rather attempt since Penelope preferred to do it herself. Afterwards, Claude would tutor her for a few hours as they had agreed that they would search for a new tutor soon. Then lunch followed by dinner later on would occur and then bedtime. It sounded quite boring, but Penelope was enjoying her life and especially enjoyed the occasions when Claude would read to her.

It was that night when she had just gotten dressed, that a loud banging started from the main doors downstairs. Walking out of her room, despite the maids insistence for her to stay because she wasn't decent, Penelope made her way to the main doors. However, she saw Claude was already present and she gestured for him to open the doors. Oddly enough no one was there. They looked at one another and he gestured for her to stay inside, and he walked out of the house looking both left and right. He then continued to walk further around the outside.

"It must have been the wind on the door knocker" Penelope reasoned. Sighing she made her way upstairs back to her room. Daisy must have left for she was nowhere in sight. Glancing down the corridor she swore she heard noise. Walking hesitantly down, she gave a cry of alarm as Daisy was slumped down next to the wall to her parents bedroom, with blood pouring from a wound on her head. Falling to her knees, she checked her pulse and was thankful it was there, even if it wasn't strong.

Suddenly a hand wrapped around her slim waist and another clamped around her mouth, preventing her from screaming. She knew immediately it wasn't Claude, since he would have been gentler.

"Now listen here you little b**ch, my brothers money should have been mine. I have given you plenty of chances to give it me, but stupidly you have turned it down. I will enjoy killing you and burning this house to the ground" the man hissed coldly into her ear. She tried to fight out of his grasp and was nearly successful when she bit his hand.

"CLAUDE!" She screamed out, but was kneed rather forcefully in the gut.

"I have dealt with him already you fool" he sneered. Whimpering she managed to move and kick him violently in the knee. She felt some pleasure when he nearly fell over and cursed her. But before she could do it again, he had picked her up harshly and carried her down the corridor into her own. Throwing her on the bed, she groaned as the blood rushed to her head. She was just about to sit up when a stinging slap rushed at her face.

A weight was suddenly on top of her and he grinned at her manically. He had always looked younger than her father, as he was the youngest in their family. Yet now his once light brown hair and baby blue eyes looked insane rather than welcoming. His son actually looked very similar. Instead, his face had stubble and she could smell alcohol on his breath. He had also put some weight on, as she remembered him as quite skinny, whereas now he had plumped up. His hands went around her neck and he started to squeeze.

"You have grown up to be a pretty girl Penelope. Perhaps you would have made a good wife to my son. Or better you could have been mine. I did like your mother, but you have surpassed her in beauty. It would be shame to see you die, it would be such a waste ". He chuckled.

She let out a cough as he released his hands from her neck but soon enough she gave a cry of fear and disgust and cubby hands began to run up and down her body. Slapping him hard on the face, she struggled underneath him, hoping to move his weight. This seems to have caused the wrong reaction as he just looked down at her with lust filled eyes.

"You sick bastard!" She shouted at him and started to punch at him. He only laughed and caught her hands easily enough. Lowering his head to her neck, he drew his tongue up against her pulse.

"This will be fun" he growled. "Don't worry, you will be dead soon enough" he then started to press his lips down on her skin and just as he was about to bite down, suddenly his weight had disappeared completely and replaced by a loud crash hitting the wall.

Much to her surprise, there stood in all of his glory was Claude. Feeling relief wash over her, she quickly made her way of the bed and ran out of the room. Claude who was happy that she wouldn't have to witness him murder anyone grabbed her uncle by the collar and gave a terrifying grin at the fear in his eyes.

"You are perhaps one of the most disgusting creatures I have ever had the displeasure to meet. You don't deserve to even breathe after what you have just done" he growled at the now quivering man. The room suddenly became darker and webs began to grow from the ceiling. Turning into his true form, the spider demon snapped his fangs angrily at the lower life below him. Her uncle was so scared that in those moments he pissed himself. A demonic laughter filled the room and the blood. Blood drenched the room and webs tangled around the dismembered corpse.

Penelope who had witnessed it all from the doorway, stood with her father's gun as she was going to use it to threaten her horrible uncle. But after seeing Claude...or whatever the creature was, she felt her eyes flutter close and her body fall backwards. The last thing she saw were two blood like eyes glancing at her from the darkness.


	5. Chapter 5

-Flashback continued-

Penelope awoke to a cold cloth being placed on her forehead. Jumping back, she gave a cry of alarm as she saw Claude there. Looking around quickly she realised she was in her parents bedroom and looked to the balcony as an escape route since Claude was sat near the door.

Trying to act normal, which was hard for Penelope on a normal day, she gave him a small smile and carefully started to shuffle to the other end of the bed, creating more distance.

"H..h...hello Claude, h..how a..are you?" she stuttered the fear obvious in her tone. She didn't even wait for his reply as she shot off the bed towards the balcony. She was stopped, however, by two long arms around her waist and she cringed from pain and fear. Her uncle had caused her some pain by kneeing her in the stomach.

"You need to calm down Penelope" came Claude's soft voice from above her. He was at least a foot taller than her and now looking up, for the first time she actually feared her friend. Even with him becoming some sort of spider monster, she hadn't been so scared.

"Calm down!" She shouted. "How on earth can I calm down in this bizarre situation. Daisy was nearly killed, so was I for that matter. Not only that but I was nearly raped by my psychopathic uncle. And you expect me to calm down". She gave a laugh and managed to push him away. She had no idea where her sudden burst of bravery had came from but she carried on.

"And on top of all of that, I just saw you...I don't even know what I saw". She paused as though she was trying to make herself believe even what she saw.

"Perhaps it's time I should explain myself. If you would please sit back on the bed, I'm sure you would be much more comfortable" he said calmly causing Penelope to make a sound of disbelief.

"Claude, how are you even acting calm about all of this?" She ended up shouting at the end. Backing further away from him she made sure her back was touching the glass of the window doors and felt a little safer. Looking at him with tears in her eyes from exhaustion, fear and tiredness, she sunk slowly to the floor.

"What are you?" Her voice broke and she gave a whimper of fear. Her mind was reeling around the events that had only just occurred an hour ago. She felt an immense amount of relief for she hadn't died or been raped, but the creature that now stood in front of her diminished the feeling of safety she had once felt when he saved her.

The next thing he did surprised Penelope greatly. He also sunk to his knees and leaned back on the bed so they were directly looking at each other. His shoulders seemed to have slumped foreword and he removed his glasses slowly, instead replacing them with his ungloved hands to pinch the bridge of his nose. His hands, which she had never seen without gloves on, made her tilt her head. His nails were painted black, or rather they were in fact black. His voice broke her curiosity.

"Do you remember when you found me?" His voice was not as calm as it had been, and she swore she could here some emotion that she couldn't name.

"A little, you were hurt and I helped" she answered unsurely.

"When you found me, I had been close to death. Another, who is also like me, had almost killed me in a fight. I had barely got away and by the time I had reached the woods, my body was very slowly giving up". He paused, and she nodded to demonstrate she understood. "I am a demon, and had you not found me I probably wouldn't be alive. Demons usually eat souls but blood can be just as good. I took some of your blood and put you into a trance". As he spoke Penelope's eyes grew larger and larger, making her look quite comical, if this hadn't have been such a series conversation.

"When a demon is saved by a human or any creature for that matter, we become indebted to that person. Which means that we have to protect that person and grant them something their heart desires, be that riches or murder. As long as we fulfil that debt, can we once again be free. However you asked for.." He was cut off by Penelope.

"I asked for you to be my friend forever. Oh my god, I asked a demon to be my friend!" She exclaimed to herself.

"Well yes" he said quietly. Standing up, he came and sat next to her causing her to try and move, but his hand stopped her.

"Penelope, as your protector do you think that I would really want to hurt you? I had intended to tell you what I was one day, but I had not accounted on you finding out in such a horrific way. You must understand that your wish means that I have to be protective over you". His hand moved and she noticed a trickle of blood run down his forehead. Leaning over she grabbed his handkerchief from his tailcoat pocket and gently dabbed the dark red liquid away.

"You promise to never hurt me?" She asked seriously. Her voice never wavered but her hand shook, conveying the fear.

"Never" he answered.

Leaning back, she winced at the pain in her ribs. He noticed and stood up, then picked her up. Putting her on her parents bed, he began to leave.

"Wait! Claude?" She asked hurriedly. He raised an eyebrow.

"Is Daisy alright?"

"I'm sorry to inform you, but we will be needing a new maid" came the quiet response. Once he had left the room, Penelope allowed herself to cry, she cried for Daisy, for herself and for the situation she was in. She cried so much that very soon she fell asleep.

Weeks later, Penelope still acted differently around Claude and so did he. Her bedroom had needed to be redone completely, for she could still smell her uncle and his blood even when it had been washed. She had noticed he never referred to her as Penelope, but rather by 'mistress'. And she didn't like this. He even stiffened when she would hug him. Not that she did this regularly considering she feared him still. But any contact became forbidden and she found herself actually missing him. Thankfully a new maid had been hired, and she was a lovely young girl with pretty brown eyes called Victoria. She was the only friend that Penelope felt she had sometimes.

However, one day she was walking down the stairs and she missed a step. Before she could even scream or register what was happening, Claude had her in his arms. Sighing with relief, she snuggled into his chest.

"Thank you Claude" Penelope's muffled voice spoke. Expecting him to put her down she found it odd when he carried her down the stairs instead. Deciding this was the right moment she asked the question she had been wanting to say for a few weeks.

"Claude, tonight will you read me a story before bed?" She asked, trying to make her eyes as innocent as possible. It seems to have worked as he patted her head and gave a quiet 'yes'.

Watching him walk towards the kitchen, she made sure he was gone before doing a happy dance. 'Yes!' She thought. After so long he acted like he usually did, since he hadn't done anything like that for weeks.

Her bedtime came quickly and after she had dressed with the help of Victoria, she pulled back the blankets of her bed waiting for Claude. Smiling when he came in, she patted the bed obviously wanting him to get in. Claude on the other hand, looked at her with a raised eyebrow. He slowly made his way to the seat next to her bed and picked up the book closest to him, which resided on her new bedside table. In fact everything in her bedroom was new, from the wallpaper to the window frames. She was actually very happy with how it all looked.

"Claude" she whined in frustration, 'he could be so annoying sometimes' she thought. "I wanted you to get in bed with me". Realising how it sounded, Penelope blushed and then corrected herself. "Not in that way!"

He gave a small laugh and took of his shoes and tailcoat, before getting in. Penelope looked at him in shock, wondering when the last time he had laughed. Shaking her head, she gracefully removed the book from his hands, receiving a bored glance from her friend.

"Am I not reading to you?" He enquired and began to sit up. Pushing him back gently, she sat up and bounced a little.

"I want to know more about demons. Or more specifically about you! I mean you know all about me, and it's not as though I want you to tell me all your secrets but I want to know some things". She finished with a hopeful look in her eyes, causing the demon to grumble in defeat. Claude often found her eyes far too powerful for such a young female.

"Well... Demons as I have told you eat souls. Particularly souls who are the most tormented or interesting. Although innocent souls do greatly appeal to demons also". As he spoke, she snuggled down into the covers and put her arms around his waist.

"A demon to gain a soul will often form a contact with the human in which they become their servant until the contract is complete" he continued. Moving her red hair out of the way, she looked up at him.

"When is the contact complete? Is it like a written contract?" She asked whilst biting her lip. Something he noticed she did when thinking.

"It depends what the contract was. For example, the human may want to avenge their families murder or perhaps want to live a life of luxury. Humans will sell their souls for quite fruitless things. Also a contact is not written, but rather a imprint on the humans skin. That imprint will then be seen on the demon as well, mine is usually found on my hand. Every demon has one, and every one is different" he explained as he played either curly hair. As he spoke, she felt him relax and couldn't help feel relaxed as well.

Claude carried on answering her questions, and when he felt her fall asleep wrapped around him, he very carefully moved her and blew out the candles. She had no idea how much he wanted to consume her innocent soul, but his protective nature over her prevented him from doing so. Leaving the room, he gave a quiet 'goodnight' and missed the smile that graced his Penelope's lips.


	6. Chapter 6

-PRESENT-

Penelope had fallen to sleep after the banging had stopped. Yet she was awoken to her covers being pulled back and a hand stroking her forehead.

"The fairies would often come out in the early morning to make sure the flowers had grown overnight..."

Penelope gasped at the voice and bolted up. There sat next to her was Lucy, her black hair swiped up into a bun, with a few stray straight hairs framing her face. She looked exactly the same, her skin was just as pale, and her smile was just as gentle.

"Lucy" she whispered. Without thinking, Penelope dived into her arms and hugged her tightly. Yet as she put her arms around Lucy's waist, she felt a thick liquid cover her hands. Carefully looking over Lucy's shoulder without causing any suspicion, she stopped the gasp crawling out of her mouth and her hands were covered in what looked like blood.

"I... I thought y..you were d...dead" Penelope said softly as she pulled back.

"No my dear, I had been told by your butler Claude that you no longer wanted me. So I left". This caused Penelope to gasp and narrow her eyes. "But I knew you would never say a thing so I investigated Claude and he is very dangerous. You must come with me Penelope! He is a demon and wants your sweet innocent soul".

Without waiting for an answer, Lucy started to pull Penelope's blood stained hands and dragged her towards the balcony.

"Wait! Why are you bleeding? And it's been two years! Why have you come all of a sudden?" Penelope bombarded her with questions.

"You have to come quickly! And don't concern yourself with the blood, I just fell. Now come on" Lucy's last words came out in a much deeper voice, as though she had been possessed.

"Sorry Lucy, but no!" She snapped before pushing her away with all her strength. To her shock, Lucy let out a horrible cackle and her skin became a sickly blue colour. Suddenly the once pretty lady transformed into winged creature. She reminded Penelope of a harpy that she had read from her father's collection of mythology.

"Oh my god!" Running to the door, she cursed herself for locking it and only just got out just in time for Lucy to smash through, ruining the old oak door. Trying not to think about the damage and rather her life, Penelope sprinted down the corridor hoping that the winged beast wouldn't reach her. The banging from downstairs was now very obviously Lucy's doing, and she hoped Claude hadn't been hurt too much. Thinking of Claude, she made her way down the stairs thankful that Lucy was no longer behind her. To say the entrance hall was a mess was a big understatement. The walls had holes in them and feathers littered the floor. It looked as though Claude had done a good job at beating up Lucy.

As she stepped foreword, trying not to step on any debris, she gasped when she saw Claude's glasses smashed up with some blood over one lens. Bending down, she picked it up and grimaced at what could have happened. A sudden screech and bang came from just around the corner of the stairs. Penelope watched with wide eyes as Lucy came flying down, almost as if she was scared. Seconds later, a flash of black followed and grabbed the winged menace roughly, before throwing it down the stairs as though it was a rag doll.

Lucy ended up at Penelope's feet. Just as she was about to move out of the way, she was lifted off her feet and found herself in the furthest corner away from Lucy. Claude looked fine except the scratch marks to his arms and one along his face.

"Please stay here mistress" he said simply and then appeared in front of Lucy once again. Penelope was going to correct him and tell him to call her by her name, but she correctly assumed that this want the right time.

She watched as the two fought rather viciously, with Lucy always aiming for the eyes. Claude on the other hand would strike back with violent punches and golden cutlery. 'Where on earth had he got then from' she thought, since her household wasn't that wealthy.

Claude suddenly grabbed Lucy by the wings, obviously having enough and with an eye watering crunch he snapped one of her wings in half. Her blooded back now became like a fountain as the red liquid cascaded down her back. And Although Penelope wasn't squeamish, the noise Lucy made resulted in her covering her face with her hands.

A few shrieks later, Penelope opened her hands and watched as Claude broke Lucy's neck easily, his eyes were blazing and she was glad that she wasn't on the receiving end of his wrath. However, just as she thought it was all over, Lucy suddenly stood back up, snapped her neck back and before their eyes gave a demented screech and burst out of the window that was next to the large main doors. 'At least the door didn't get ruined' was Penelope's first thought.

Looking at the ruined room, she gave Claude a tired look before saying "So... can you explain what just happened?"

He in return just glanced around the room and gave a defeated sigh knowing how much time he would have to put on fixing the place. Walking over to the young lady, he noticed that she had his broken glasses in her hands.

"I believe you and I were just attacked mistress" he said seriously, although she detected sarcasm in his voice.

"I'm called Penelope!" She snapped angrily causing him to look at her. He then took the glasses and with a twist of his hand, they looked good as new.

"I know" was all he said.

"Then please call me that instead of mistress. I though we were friends after all. Anyway I'm not having this conversation now, are you alright?" She asked with actual concern laced in her voice.

"It is only a scratch" was his reply, he went to pick her up, but she shook her head, causing the curls to bounce in all directions.

"I can walk. All I need to know, is do you think she will come back?" She asked, trying to surpress her yawn.

"Not tonight, but it would not surprise me if she returned soon. We will discuss this in the morning when I have sorted out this mess and you have been well rested". And with those words he picked her up despite her saying not to and in seconds they were at her room.

"Although I'm glad you can move quickly, it makes me feel sick when you do that" Penelope complained as she went to get in bed.

"Penelope, you do realise that you have blood on your arms and hands. I refuse to be given more work, so will you kindly remove yourself from the white sheets and wait for me to prepare some water." She nodded and began to wait. Yet as she waited, she wondered where her maid, Victoria was.

Claude returned quickly and she asked him. He told her how he made sure she was completely asleep by putting her into a trance. Carefully, he washed her arms and hands and made her put another nightgown on. However, just as he was about to leave the room. Penelope called him.

"You said my name!"

"Isn't that what friends do?" He asked in reply. Laughing Penelope nodded and snuggled into the cool white sheets.

"Oh and Claude, please make sure you have a rest tonight, I know demons can't sleep, but after what happened I believe you deserve to rest". He nodded at this and bid her a goodnight.

Two hours later, Penelope felt someone moving the covers. Fearing it was Lucy again, she sat up and was surprised to see Claude. He gently pushed her back down, and she noticed he had removed the tailcoat and was now in a clean white shirt and trousers. His face looked perfect once again and she wouldn't have believed he had been wounded had she not seen it. He carefully got into the bed and pulled her closer.

"Not that I am bothered by what you are doing, but what are you doing?" She asked tiredly wondering if he had been hit too hard on the head.

"You said I deserved a rest after tonight, and that is precisely what I'm doing". She just smiled and snuggled closer, feeling for the first time in a long time that she had her friend back.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N Hello! Thank you for the lovely reviews so far and I would first and foremost like to apologise for any spelling errors within this fanfiction. I'm writing it on an iPad and autocorrect likes to make assumptions sometimes when I write. I know you can turn it off, but I like it there to check my spellings are usually alright. Oh the irony. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter and more will be coming ups soon. Reviews are always appreciated! :)

\- FLASHBACK of Claude's perspective-

He sighed for the umpteenth time as he followed his Penelope through the manor house. Of course he knew where she was going, he had watched her go on the roof plenty of times when she was upset or annoyed at something. However, she had never been upset or annoyed towards himself, so Claude couldn't comprehend the emotions that were spinning around his head.

He thought that by saying he was her friend that Penelope would be satisfied, or even happy, not the reaction he had received. He admitted over the years he had slowly become more distant from her, but in reality this was for her own good. She had no idea how much he now lusted after her. Although he blamed it on her innocent soul. As a seventeen year old, Penelope possessed an amount of natural beauty that Claude knew others would kill for. Her blood red hair had become slightly more tamer over the years, meaning that although it could easily get out of hand without care, when it was properly brushed, it framed her angel like face perfectly. Claude would never admit it out loud, however, that he didn't care what her hair looked like, as he found her waking up in the morning to be one of the, dare he say one of the 'cutest' things he had ever seen. On top of that, her body had matured greatly, and although her chest was reasonably small, she still had curves and a womanly shape. The corset she wore would only highlight this further, making her slim waist more punctuated. And of course, he couldn't leave out her face. Her skin which was only a shade darker than his own, still making it porcelain, was contrasted with dark lashes and glowing green eyes that reflected wisdom beyond her years. His thoughts were driving him crazy and he let out a frustrated growl as he made his way up the ladders to the attic.

'How could she not see the way I desire her?' He thought bitterly. Claude had over the years changed his attitude towards this friendship they had. At first he had resented it all, finding the task of pleasing the small child tedious, yet as the years went on, her happiness somehow reflected on him, and now at this point, Claude cared for her more than he imagined. He tried to explain it to himself, or even come up with a reason. But it was useless. For all he knew, she had become an intelligent young lady, she loved to learn and laugh and had somehow managed to worm her way into his cold undead heart.

Shaking his head, Claude climbed through the window and immediately felt the same as he did every other time he came to find her. Concern. There was a considerable drop from the roof and he always would try and inform her of the risk she put herself through. Of course, her stubborn attitude would have her agreeing, yet doing it once again. Now, getting on the roof he looked around and couldn't see her at all. 'How odd' he thought 'perhaps I had misjudged her'.

He then heard a sound coming from the lower floors of the house and had a suspicion that was where she was. As he made his way gracefully off the roof, in one fine leap and felt his feet touch the floor, his eyes widened for a moment when he saw the front door completely open. Walking in, he closed them and looked around. A horrible smell was in the air. He knew that smell very well, since he had to deal with it for years. It was only reasonable for him to be able to detect it, considering he was the one who got rid of it in the first place. His desire to find Penelope over powered the desire to get rid of the new infestation as he would refer to it in his head. Just as he was about to run up the stairs, a powerful force collided with his chest, sending him sprawling backwards. Sharp talons wrapped around his biceps and he gave the creature a bored look.

"You are a foolish creature for attempting to get my mistress" he spat coldly at her. Lucy in reply just laughed softly. He had known from the start what she was when he had joined the estate. And of course to protect Penelope, he only saw fit to remove such a disgusting threat.

Without blinking, Claude threw the winged monster against the wall, causing a bang to echo around the manor. She came at him again, and narrowly missed his face. He returned the gesture by nearly breaking her wings. She gave a cry of pain and he felt satisfied when his glove was covered in her blood. He had managed to rip some of her lower back in the process. However, Claude's biggest weakness was perhaps his own arrogance, as he was too busy basking in his success, that he suddenly found his glasses falling to the floor followed by himself, and a very nasty scratch on his cheek. Growling, his golden eyes became a glowing blood red, and he launched himself at the beast once again. They fought fiercely for another couple of minutes and just as he was about to deliver a final blow, Lucy threw him through the wall into the dining area. That gave her enough time to disappear, for when he returned she was no where to be seen.

Knowing that she could only be going towards Penelope, Claude gave a small groan of frustration and began to follow the putrid smell up the stairs. It led to Penelope's bedroom, and for a moment he almost rolled his eyes knowing that her bedroom risked being damaged once again. Yet as he entered he narrowed his eyes in irritation. The creature was messing with him, the whole room was in perfect condition except a small patch of blood on the floor. He was just leaving when he heard a bang come from Penelope's parents room and watched as Penelope ran past him and straight for the stairs. She didn't notice his figure pulling back into the room as he prepared to stop Lucy from following. Knowing that she had gone downstairs, he waited and just as Lucy came soon after, he wasted no time in throwing her to the ground. Taking his trusted golden knives, he impaled her through the hands to get her to stay still. However this proved to be fruitless as he had seriously misjudged her power. She used her battered wings to create enough power and threw him off her.

She gave a horrible cry and proceeded to race after Penelope down the stairs. However, she didn't get that far as Claude grabbed her wings and then punched her forcefully in the gut, sending her sprawling down the stairs and at Penelope's feet. For someone who lacked a heartbeat, in those seconds he swore he felt it thunder in his empty chest and out into his mouth. Realising that unintentionally he had placed the young girl in more danger, Claude in one movement had lifted her off her feet and proceeded to take her to the furthest corner. Her body pressed against his own, filled his cold body with an odd warmth but he could not enjoy it.

"Please stay here mistress" was his simple command, and he moved in a fluid movement towards the threat.

He had to admit that the fight was stimulating, as it had been a good two years since he had really fought or killed another. And as she kept using her sharp talons to go for his eyes, he would only react by punching back. She narrowly missed, and he enjoyed the growing frustration in her eyes as she kept pursuing her target. He then would use his trusted golden knives to break her skin, almost laughing at the pitiful creature she was. However, the way she looked at Penelope made him feel increasingly angry. Her look was filled with blood lust and greed, something Claude could not stand. So, having enough of her, he ruthlessly grabbed her wings with his now soiled hands and continued where he left off upstairs. With a mighty crunch, he snapped one of the wings in two causing the beast to scream in agony. He briefly glanced at Penelope and was surprised to she her hands covering her face, so deciding that he didn't want her to be overly disgusted at the scene, he placed his hands around the squirming creatures throat.

Seeing that his mistresses eyes were still covered, Claude allowed his sadistic nature to show, as he removed one had from her neck, and raked his fingers down the remains of her blood soaked back. Hearing her shriek some more, he gave a nasty smirk before grabbing her neck once more and snapping it.

Turning to walk over to Penelope, he was surprised when Lucy clumsily rose from the floor and snapped her head back into place. Giving them both a glare, she shrieked and crashed through the window near the door. Glancing at Penelope he found her tired confusion quite amusing.

-PRESENT-

Claude watched the girl hug his body closely and he allowed a contented smile to grace his lips. She had fallen asleep quickly and he was glad for it. Although as a butler, this would be deemed as extremely inappropriate, because of her wish for him to be her friend, he therefore had to comfort her as a friend and protector would. But the warmth of her body was also appealing to Claude and had he not have been indebted to her, Claude knew that he would have freely devoured her soul. Yet, he was contented that he hadn't done so, especially since he cared for her. 'No' he thought 'lusted for the girl'. He hated the idea of feeling something other than lust as demons rarely felt anything different.

Taking his glasses off, he carefully placed them on the bedside table and moved himself so he could wrap his arms around her. Resting his head on the top of her own, he deeply inhaled her delicious sent and slowly closed his eyes. Just because demons don't need to sleep, didn't necessarily mean that they didn't sleep at all.


	8. Chapter 8

Waking up, Penelope felt a gentle shake of her shoulder, and opened her eyes to meet light brown ones staring down at her. The events of the previous night laid heavily on her mind and she controlled the desire to bolt out of her bed, when she noticed it was Victoria. She honestly felt as though last night had just been a horrid nightmare, but considering she could still smell the strong perfume Lucy used to wear on her, Penelope shuddered, knowing that it was definitely not a dream.

"Good morning mistress, Mr Faustus has gone out to do some business and he told me to inform you that he will not be too long. In the meantime he asks if you could perhaps make notes on some work he has left you in the study". Victoria was moving around as she spoke, carefully opening the curtains causing the disgruntled teen to shield her face using the covers as bright beams hit her tired eyes. Even though she had slept well, by the time she had fallen to sleep, she was sure it was way past midnight and because she was not accustomed to saying up so late, her mind and body resented being woken up. Even if it was nine o'clock.

"Morning Victoria, did he say what business he was dealing with?" She asked as she rubbed her eyes and allowed the maid to pass her dress for the day. Upon joining the estate, Victoria had allowed Penelope to dress herself, although she would never tell Claude this as he wouldn't agree. The only thing Penelope needed help with, was the corset.

For today, Penelope was given a dark purple dress with a lighter purple ribbon at the back. Penelope had never seen this dress before and narrowed her eyes wondering where it had came from. She was going to ask, but had already guessed that it was Claude's doing. The corset was almost black and she gasped as Victoria gave a slightly sharp tug on the ribbons lacing the corset together.

"My apologies mistress!" She exclaimed and backed away quickly. Waving her hand in response to demonstrate that she was fine, she gazed at herself in the mirror and smiled. She definitely looked older wearing darker colours and was shocked how well the colour made her of her skin look pale. Yet it was not unattractive, but rather more impressive. She had to admit as she looked closer, she looked striking. But like most girls, Penelope saw many faults with her image and turned away before she could analyse her image any further. For Penelope wasn't a vain person, but rather more of a realist when it came to her beauty. She knew that she was pretty, but would not have considered herself beautiful, especailly after her uncle had called her that. No, to Penelope true beauty didn't exist and the word 'beautiful' meant nothing to her if it was directed at her looks. Looking behind her, Victoria was standing near with a brush, and Penelope grimaced every time an unruly knot would get caught in the brush. After another ten minutes of failed attempts to control her hair, Victoria had pulled it back into a thick bun on the top of her head, allowing smaller curls to frame either side of her face. Thanking her, Penelope followed her to the kitchen, saying that she found the dinner table too lonely to each there by herself.

Victoria, although a little nervous, especially around the intimidating character of Claude, slowly but surely became more open with Penelope and even discussed her family. For a good hour they chatted and the two females even shared a few laughs. However, Victoria suddenly gasped.

"Mistress, it is almost eleven o'clock! Mr Faustus may be coming back soon and you have done no work. I wouldn't want you to get in trouble". She exclaimed worriedly. Nodding her head, Penelope stood up and made her way out of the room. Yet she stopped just as she was about to walk out completely.

"Thank you for your company Victoria, I have not felt quite so happy in a long time. And don't worry about Claude, I wouldn't allow him to punish either of us". Smiling she gave a wave at the maid and was glad to see Victoria looking a little less worried.

But knowing that Claude still wouldn't be impressed if she didn't complete her work, she suddenly lifted her dress and began running to the study. Sitting down, and feeling a little out of breath, she rubbed her eyes before doing some hard work.

It was about an hour later and she was thoroughly enjoying herself. Claude had left her some history work to complete and immediately she became consumed by the events she was reading out. The work he wanted her to focus on was the english civil war of 1642. She had written several pages of notes about the build up to civil war, including the extravagance of James I of England and VI of Scotland. She found the monarchy particularly interesting and soon had become absorbed in learning about his son, Charles, who ultimately lost his head. She was in fact so absorbed in the story, that she gave a loud scream when a hand placed a letter down in front of her.

"My apologies, Mistr- Penelope" he corrected himself. "I didn't mean to alarm you. Although I must say, I'm quite impressed by your work ethic today". He added as he picked a piece of paper of the floor, which had fallen without her noticing.

"May I ask where you had gone so early this morning?" She asked as she started to open the letter that he had placed in front of her. When he didn't reply, she ignored him and carried began to read the letter. The letter had a beautiful font and she marvelled how someone could write so elegantly.

_Dear Lady Penelope, _

_You are personally invited to the masquerade ball which will be at the beginning of next month, and are expected to dress accordingly..._

The letter went on to describe the event in greater detail, discussing entertainment and other frivolous things. She blinked as she read it and bit her lip as she looked at the bottom of the letter.

_Yours most humbly,_

_Viscount of Druitt, Lord Aleister Chamber. _

She could only guess that the Viscount had in fact not written the letter, as it was most likely his butler, but she felt quite honoured to be invited somewhere. She hardly got any invites anymore, especially after her parents had died. It had seemed as though the world had forgotten about her. Handing Claude the letter, he took it from her and scanned the page, his eyes looking rather bored at the fancy writing.

"Do you think I should go?" She asked, uncertainty laced in her voice.

"I wouldn't have bought you a dress, had I not accounted on you going Penelope" came Claude's calm reply. Before she could say anything, Victoria had knocked lightly in the door and came in with her head bowed.

"Dinner is ready" she said and then proceeded to walk out. Getting out of her chair, Penelope stopped and turned to Claude.

"You have a lot of explaining to do, not only have I not forgotten about what happened last night but now this. After dinner, please meet me in the living room and perhaps you can actually enlighten me to what is going on. As oddly enough I'm feeling rather confused". Her voice became slightly colder as she finished her sentence and didn't wait for his reply. However, just as she was about to leave the room she stopped once more.

"And for Victoria's sake, please can you dismiss her, or send her to collect something from town. She doesn't need to hear any of what we will discuss as I don't fancy loosing another maid". And with that she walked out of the door, missing the smirk that was plastered to Claude's usually emotionless face.

'I'm so very glad the dress I bought her suites her so well' he thought as he began to tidy away her work. 'I believe the ball-gown I chose will make her look even more radiant'. And with that thought, Claude carried on with his jobs before making his way to the young maid, ready to give her a time consuming job for the rest of the evening.

**A/N **

**Thank you S-Lioness for the lovely reviews! The next chapter should be more interesting hopefully! Hope everyone is enjoying it so far and can't wait to see what you guys think of it :) **

**Also I'm a massive history nerd and couldn't help getting in my favourite period of history in this story. Thankfully I managed to prevent it becoming a history essay! **


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N A huge thanks to all those who have reviewed this story! It makes me more determined to upload chapters faster! Hope everyone is enjoying it so far, and I should get another chapter up tomorrow. **

After finishing her meal, which was as always delicious, Penelope made her way to the living room wondering what odd explanation she would be subjected to. But of course, if you live with a demon, life isn't exactly going to be normal. She rubbed her eyes, still feeling tired from the events last night and opened the living room door to find no one there.

The room, which her family had probably spent most of their time in, had dark blue walls with bluebells printed at either side of the wall in the centre. The furniture was a much lighter shade of blue and an assortment of cream colours. Together, the colours actually worked and Penelope was very happy with the way it looked, although it was obvious that her mother had chosen the design, for her father used to complain about wanting a different living room altogether. Shaking her head, she made her way to her favourite chair, which was a large overstuffed cream coloured seat, and bounced happily, in an attempt to make herself comfortable. Yet, her corset which was tied extra tightly for some reason, prevented her from getting to comfy. Considering running upstairs and attempting to throw the blasted thing off and put something much more comfortable on, she was stopped by a black clad figure entering the room.

"Apologies for the wait, Penelope, it seems the maid needed a bit of encouragement to go on her way". Claude, as he spoke, had gracefully walked in the room, and taken a seat directly opposite herself. Feeling an odd emotion wash over her, Penelope wondered what he meant by encouragement. Not holding back she began to speak.

"And what, pray tell, did your encouragement actually consist of?" She had unfolded her arms and instead gave him a narrowed eyed glare.

"Just some persuasion of sorts. I was, however, under the assumption that you had things you wanted to discuss without the maid knowing, so if I had known how interested you were in her whereabouts, I would have invited her to join". Claude retorted in a calm tone, although she detected the annoyance behind it.

"So where should I begin?" She began with a sigh. "Perhaps you could kindly explain to me why Lucy, who died two years ago just for the record, just so happened to, I don't know, wander in the house AND NEARLY KILL US BOTH!?" She shouted the last part and stood up angrily. She disliked the tone he had used and the realisation to how close she came to being kidnapped and possibly killed, unfortunately didn't make her feel any better.

He in return just leaned back in the chair and pushed up his glasses slowly. 'I swear he is being annoying on purpose' she thought. She began to fidget under his sharp stare and wondered where the friend who had hugged her whilst she slept last night had disappeared.

"Perhaps... You should calm down and act like a proper lady and take a seat". His voice filled the silent room and she gawked at him. Feeling hurt that he implied she wasn't a proper lady, Penelope glared at him before making her way out of the room. 'Fine, if he thinks I'm acting un-lady like now, I will show him how un-lady like I can be' she thought angrily. She had just gone to open the door, when a white covered hand slammed it shut, making her jump in surprise. She guessed that he might have tried to stop her, but didn't account on his reaction. Turning around, ready to give him a piece of her mind, she was suddenly pushed up against the door and her green eyes focused on the golden ones that had flashed red. Never had she seen him angry at her before, and although she disliked it, it was rather interesting seeing his normally calm posture, so tense.

"I really would sit down Penelope" he growled quietly and she considered slapping him for ordering her about. However, her curiosity about Lucy overpowered the urge and she placed her hands on his chest and effectively pushed him away. Sitting back down the both of them glared at the other, that was until Claude finally spoke.

"When I first joined the household, I had been suspicious of your nanny and spent some time investigating her. She is a demon, as I suspected yet she seemed to be more uncontrolled than most. Anyway, I very quickly found out she had formed a contract with another and decided for your safety it was easier to dispose of her". He paused making sure she was listening, in reply she nodded although her eyes were lowered and she was wringing her hands.

"However, I did not expect her to return. It was only when your uncle came that night, not that long after her 'death', that I noticed the contract mark on his neck. Realising Lucy was under his control, I believed that after I killed her, she would simply disappear and find a new soul".

"My uncle?" She exclaimed. 'Why that horrible, sick..' She stopped her thoughts there not wanting to get carried away.

"Yes, he seemed to have been determined to get your family's wealth and had enrolled the help of a demon" was his simple reply. Continuing, he said "I had not, however, accounted on Lucy wanting your soul, but it is obvious why she would want it". He was interrupted when Penelope's voice echoed slightly.

"Why? Why is it obvious she would want my soul? For revenge?" She asked, confused to why she was special enough for a demon to fight for her soul. He seemed to regret his words and took some time before replying.

"You have a very innocent soul Penelope, and for demons that is extremely appealing". She furrowed her brows at this and almost laughed at how absurd it sounded. Had she not have seen Claude as the monster he was, she would have thought him joking. But knowing the situation was in fact real she shyly asked the next question, wondering how he would reply.

"So, do you find my soul appealing, or is Lucy the only one?"

"Lucy is not worthy of your soul" was his cold reply and she rolled her eyes at him.

"You avoided the question Claude". She nearly flew out of her seat when he was suddenly kneeling down in front of her.

"And neither am I as worthy. But yes, I do find your soul appealing, but would never attempt to take it from you".

Penelope was taken back by his soft words and stopped herself from asking if he was ok. Only ten minutes ago had he technically pinned her up against the door making her sit down, and now he was back to being a humble butler and a caring friend. Her thoughts were broken when he took her hands in his own.

"Penelope, what I'm going to tell you will most likely upset you and I apologise for not telling you sooner. I have hesitated in telling you the truth in fear that you would react irrationally. So, before I tell you, you must promise, which will be extremely difficult, to not do anything stupid". A feeling of dread filled her and she narrowed her eyes at him. She didn't exactly want to make a promise that she wasn't going to keep, but it all depends on what he had to tell her. Suddenly different scenarios flashed through her head, things like him turning around and confessing he is going to kill her and that he was in fact working with Lucy all clouded her mind.

"Before I promise, what reaction are you expecting? And what reaction is more acceptable?"

"I will not be surprised if you cried" was all that he said. He was about to start speaking again when she interrupted him.

"Wait! You aren't going to kill me are you?" She whimpered and pulled her hands back, realising that he hadn't let go earlier. In response to her question, he looked at her as though she had gone mad.

"What on earth gave you that idea?" He snapped, but she could clearly see the concern in his eyes.

"Well you said that I might act irrationally, and I assumed that it meant I would run away or something like that-" she was stopped when he suddenly lifted her off her feet, causing her to squeak and then sat down where she had been sitting. Realising that he had placed her on his lap, she couldn't stop the blush from heating up her face.

"Claude?" She questioned quietly.

"Friends don't tend to kill friends Penelope, and furthermore, I would be a very poor protector to do so. Never think such things again" he answered and placed his arms around her waist pulling her closer. She was going to complain about how the lack of air going to her lungs because of the stupid corset and now his arms there, were making her feel quite faint, but decided against it as he began to speak.

"Are you ready?" He asked. Not really having a choice but to be ready, she wiggled ever so slightly in his lap to try and get comfortable, and took a deep breath, hoping that the air would make her lighted headedness go away.

"Yes"

"Your father's death was not by natural causes. Your uncle, who had been jealous of your father's success had made a contract with Lucy to get what he wanted. When I originally attempted to get rid of her, she boasted about poisoning you father slowly over a long period of time to make it look less suspicious. I regret to say that I had not been aware of this happening". He paused and squeezed her waist in a comforting gesture and carried on. "It is with more regret that I only realised afterwards that Lucy had been responsible for the train crash resulting in your mother's death also. She didn't waste time in bragging about that either. I had found when I joined your estate that it was odd for a child of a wealthy family to not be betrothed, and found out later on, by Lucy that you had in fact been originally intended to marry your cousin, the son of your uncle. However, your mother opposed this greatly, resulting in a disagreement between your uncle and your parents. That is why you had only seen him a few times as he was not welcome here. Lucy had planned it alongside your uncle, but they failed to consider the possibility of you having a demon also. Let's just say, Lucy isn't the cleverest of demons and allows her hunger to drive her rather than her head. In fact, she was surprised when she learnt I was a demon, only confirming my belief that she is on par with vermin". By the end he had ended up ranting, unintentionally tightening his grip on Penelope already entrapped waist.

Penelope, who was slowly beginning to watch the world disappear, was in shock from what she had just heard. However, she couldn't decide properly if the darkness that was now surrounding her was from the lack of oxygen or from the news she had just received.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N Hope everyone enjoys this chapter! I apologise for not uploading sooner, but college is obviously very time consuming at this time of the year and I'm trying my best to write as many chapters as I can! Anyway, on a more positive note, my Alois Trancy COSPLAY has arrived and I'm in love with it hahha! Please review if you are enjoying it so far, I love hearing back from you guys! :) Enjoy!**

When he had began to explain to Penelope, her wriggling in his lap had nearly sent a groan crawling up his throat. Thankfully, he had managed to suppress it, fearing that it would scare the girl away. He had chosen her to sit in his lap for two main reasons. The first being, he had guessed that she would be upset by the news and as he had seen her emotional in the past about death, he quietly assumed she would need comfort that the current position would allow him to give. The second was more of a selfish reason, her anger was appealing to him as she rarely showed any true anger, and he enjoyed watching her get worked up. Penelope had two main emotions which were being happy or being sad. Her anger, on the other hand was rather presented in an irritated manner, and her real anger was hardly ever seen. So when she started ranting at him, he lost his control for a split second and ended up pinning her to the door. If he hadn't have told her to sit back down, which was a job in itself, Claude would have most likely have slammed his lips against her own, ultimately ending the friendship. Which was something, he didn't want to do. Had he seen any signs from her that suggested she felt a similar desire towards himself, Claude would have contemplated acting, but he had, over the years seen no such thing and couldn't help feel disappointed about it. She was unlike the majority women who gave him heated looks full of longing, and he felt like asking her if she found him as attractive. But, Claude could only guess that she saw him as a friend and nothing more.

When he finished talking, he realised that she was acting mysteriously quiet. Claude, quickly pulled the girl closer when her eyes rolled to the back of her head. At first he assumed that it was because of the news she had just been informed about, but his concern began to grow when he noticed how her petite frame was struggling to breathe. In a flash, he had appeared in her bedroom, and carefully as possible, placed Penelope down on the bed, facing down. He turned her head to the side and felt genuine worry when her once rosy pink lips, although chapped, had begun to turn the same shade as the living room walls. Without thinking, he took out a golden knife and within seconds slashed the ribbon that was laced neatly down her back. He watched with fascination as the corset cracked open slightly and revealed the creamy pale skin of her back. The undershirt was almost see-through, even though it was a darker shade. Controlling the desire to lay his lips upon such a tempting sight, he instead rolled the girl over, and took the corset off completely. His eyes roamed over her slim form and his eyes stopped at her chest. He felt lust begin to take over and seconds later found himself hovering over the unconscious girl. He had just placed two fingers on her pulse point to check she was alright when Penelope under him suddenly jerked up, and took a deep breath.

Breathing heavily, Penelope felt her eyes water painfully. However, she still felt a weight of her chest and was just about to worry, thinking that she couldn't breathe, when she fully assessed the scene in front of her. Claude was almost covering her body with his own, and Penelope scrunched up her face in confusion. He still didn't move, which was more down to shock at being caught in such an awkward predicament, and instead started down at her face, and would briefly look down her body further. Yet when his eyes wandered down once more, Penelope followed them and gasped realising her corset was gone. 'That explains why it's suddenly so cold and the fact that I can actually breathe at last' she thought, giving a shiver. Although, she couldn't decide if she was shivering at the cold or the sharp look Claude was directing at herself, or should she say body.

"Claude, I appear to be indecent, can you... You know get off and perhaps do me the curtesy of looking away". Her voice sounded raspy and she felt her face heat up. He immediately moved and draped a cover around her shoulders, shielding him from her tempting body. He then carefully began to poor a glass of water and handed it over to the still flushed girl.

Penelope drank the water greedily and gave a contented sigh once she had finished. However, the information Claude had told her before she fainted, suddenly swarmed around her mind and she didn't really know how to react. For once, she didn't feel tears well up in her eyes and actually felt, well... rather calm. 'Perhaps I have mourned them too long' she thought and handed Claude back the empty glass.

"You should have informed myself or Victoria if your corset was unreasonably tight Penelope" Claude chided, breaking the awkward tension in the room.

"Perhaps, but you both usually ignore my complaints when I wear a corset, so I didn't really see the point. Also, how was I supposed to know that I would faint? That was my first time" she replied and shakily moved herself, so she now sat under the covers.

"How are you feeling?" He then asked, ignoring her question, as he thought it sounded more rhetorical.

"Better now the blasted thing has come off, although I feel a headache coming on. But I would like to move the discussion to where it had previously been left off, before I fainted. You can sit down Claude". Penelope patted the bed and he sat down, confused to why she wasn't expressing hysteria at what she had found out. Before Penelope went on, she ungracefully shuffled out of the dark dress skirt and kicked it off her legs with a giggle, resulting in it landing on Claude's head. Claude's eyes had just devoured the image of her pale slim legs when his eyesight was clouded, causing him to internally groan in frustration.

"Oops, sorry Claude, I swear I didn't aim for it to hit you!" She exclaimed and leant over to quickly remove it. After she did, he took it from her hands and stood up, so he could hang it up neatly. When he failed to reply to her apology, Penelope decided to ask her questions.

"You said that my uncle had made a deal with Lucy. But you killed my uncle, so why would she come here, on her own with no orders. Is there a possibility that she has made a deal with someone else?"

"Demons don't necessarily have to make deals to try and kill someone, but I like yourself, have considered the possibility of her making another deal". He paused, showing the slightest bit of hesitation and then continued. "If I may be so bold", she snorted as he usually said things that no other butter would ever dream of saying to their boss, "I had been expecting a much more... distressed reaction to this news, may I ask why it is that you are so calm?"

Penelope wanted to laugh at his genuinely confused face and thought herself quite lucky to see him displaying his emotions so openly.

"It's sad indeed what has happened, but I spent so long mourning their deaths, and Lucy's for that matter, that I physically cannot mourn them any longer. I'm not prepared to wage a war with Lucy for her actions, but I am relying on you to protect me and get rid off her if she becomes too big of a threat. Of course I hate her, what she has done has left me with no family or love, but I won't start a fight. It must be her decision, and then we can make our move". Her voice had not wavered and she gave a small smile at the end, feeling quite proud of herself. In reality she thought that she would have stuttered.

Claude, who had joined her on the bed, had bent his neck to the side, as though he was trying to work her out. But he felt pride fill him as she spoke. He loved her childish nature, but was thankful Penelope had a maturer side. Yet he felt an un-named emotion fill his chest when she said that she was left with no love, but pushed it to the side. Instead he nodded, leant forward and stroked her cheek, surprising himself.

"I'm glad that you have a sensible mind Penelope, many more stupider humans would have acted irrationally". She had blinked at the term of 'human' finding that he spoke it as though it was something that tasted disgusting. Taking his hand, that had cupped her right cheek, she laced her fingers through his own, revelling in how cold his hands were against her own warm ones.

"Claude, I am human too". She said quietly, and was surprised when he squeezed her hand tightly and pulled her forward roughly, causing her to squeak as she realised she was trapped against his body. Suddenly his face leaned closer to her own and she could feel his cold breath against her own lips. If he was to move any closer, she was sure their lips would become one.

"Yes, but you are different" he hissed back and then pushed her away softly, allowing her to get back into her previous position. Her cheeks burned as she realised how indecent she looked, just sitting in her underwear and undershirt. Being so close to him didn't help either. Her eyes, which tried to avoid his own, moved around the room and became glued on a large dress cover that was hanging near her wardrobe.

"Claude? Is that the ballgown you mentioned earlier on?" She asked, feeling suddenly excited. 'Anything to get my mind of the Lucy situation and what just happened' she thought.

"Ah, yes. I hope that you will appreciate it. I would have you try it on now, but after fainting, I find it unlikely for you to do so. I think it would be better if you tried it on, on the day of the ball. It will add to its surprise, don't you agree?" He asked, knowing full well that Penelope was impatient when it came to surprises. But she had to admit it was a fun idea and nodded.

"Ok! I suppose it will make me more excited to go to the masquerade ball. I do wonder though, why I have been invited. Ever since my mother's passing away, or now I suppose I should say murder, no one has invited me out to any event. I find it quite odd". As she spoke, she had pulled the blanket around her body and carefully made her way to her dressing gown, to make herself look more presentable. She was stopped, though by Claude who had already got it her and closed his eyes as she put it on.

She then gasped. "What if it is a trick?!" She exclaimed worriedly, thinking that Lucy may have planned it in an attempt to kill her.

"I have already made sure the event is occurring and have enough evidence to support that it is not a trick, now get back into your bed. It will not do you any good if you are to faint again. I believe Victoria has just arrived outside with the food I asked her to get. Please allow yourself to relax and I will begin to prepare your tea". She settled back in the bed and watched him leave the room.

Penelope sat thinking about the events of the past couple of days. And oddly enough she was more shocked at Claude making physical contact with herself more than anything else. She was confused to his behaviour when he had leaned in. For a second she had really believed he was going to kiss her. Yet, she didn't feel repulsed by the idea. 'What am I even thinking! Not only is he a demon, but he is my friend. I bet he didn't think about it like that at all' she thought, annoyed at her own ideas. 'At least' she thought 'our friendship is nearly back to what it used to be' she thought with a smile.

\- WEEKS LATER-

It was the morning of the ball. Over the past weeks, Penelope had spent the time she wasn't working, hunting down her ballgown that Claude had strategically hidden. And every time she had been caught out by Claude, resulting in her being tickled mercilessly by him, and only stopping when she promised to not do it again. She had been so happy when he tickled her the first time, as he used to do that whenever she would search for her birthday presents as a child. It proved to her that their friendship had recovered and was even more overjoyed when he would only use the term 'mistress' in public.

So waking up, and shaking her red mane, she let out a delighted grin when her dress was hung up at the end of her bed. Feeling like a small child again, she controlled the desire to rip the dress cover off and look at the contents. Instead she willed herself to go back to sleep, until Claude would wake her up. Just last night, Penelope had fallen to sleep on Claude who had yet again been reading to her, and she realised that he must have placed the dress in her room when he was sure she was asleep.

"Penelope, it's time to wake up" came Claude's calm voice as he shook the lump underneath the covers. He gave an amused chuckle when said lump, growled in response. Enjoying her pain, he opened the curtains, allowing as much light as possible to soak the room and couldn't suppress the smirk that was plasted on his face when she cried out once she came out of her nest of covers. Covering her face, she flinched at the light but suddenly remembered the day.

"IT'S TODAY!" She shouted happily, forgetting her tired mood and dived off the bed, quicker than Claude had ever seen her move before. However, her pathway to the dress was cut of by an arm.

"First you will have your breakfast, then an hour of Latin with me in the study, then before dinner you may try on the dress. After dinner, Daisy will begin to prepare your bath and the preparations will continue until five o'clock, when we will set off to the Viscount's London estate". He explained and spun the girl around so that she was facing another dress laid out at the head of her bed.

"But can't I at least see the dress now?" She wined, annoyed that she had to wait even longer. His reply was to tickle her ruthlessly, ending up with her screaming with laughter. Trying to break free of his iron grip, tears of mirth ran down Penelope's face and she begged him to stop. When he finally did relent, she slid down to the floor and leant against his leg.

"Ok..." She puffed out "I will wait until later". Happy with her answer, Claude ruffled her hair, causing her to glare at his figure as it began to move to the door. He just reached the door when she threw a pillow at his head, which he easily caught and threw back at the bed.

"You don't want me to come over there and give you a repeat performance, do you?" He asked and she could detect the humour in his voice. Squealing in reply she jumped back under the covers and listened to him chuckle before the door clicked shut. Sighing, she pulled the covers back over her head and with her eyes closed, she waited for Victoria to come in. What she didn't expect was two cold hands grasp either side of her waist and tickle her. Eyes opening in a flash she saw his signature smirk and tried to speak between her cry's of laughter.

"I give up!" She cried for the third time and he finally stopped. Breathless with her blood red hair in a halo around her head, Claude felt the urge to take her right there. Shaking his head and hoping his eyes were not in fact red, he moved away and left the room, still hearing Penelope's odd giggles drift down the corridor. Claude over the weeks had only desired her more, and every night when she wrapped her body around his own, he felt the desire get stronger. It was at times like this that he had to get away for both of their sakes.

A couple of hours later, Penelope had finally finished her Latin work and kept bouncing up and down on her seat trying to contain the excitement rising up. Claude, who had been like a shark, circling her to make sure she was working well, had gone upstairs to fetch the dress and she was now in her seat waiting to see it. Suddenly the door opened and Claude came in, with the ballgown. Taking off the cover, he had brought a wrack for coats in from the entrance hall, and hung up the gown.

"Wow.."


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N Hello! I'm back and have planned out the whole story so I hope everyone is ready for the onslaught of chapters heading your way! Feedback is always welcomed and I will get another chapter out soon! Also as a disclaimer, I don't own Pride and Prejudice as I'm not the talented Jane Austen. Enjoy the story!**

There, on the coat stand hung perhaps one of the most beautiful dresses Penelope had ever seen in her life. Standing up slowly, she made her way towards the gown and gave a gasp at the detail of the white silk like material. The dress was an elegant collection of whites and creams with a variety of ruffles cascading downwards to the floor.

The front of the dress, which was the corseted area, was made up of fine white feathers which felt soft to the hand when Penelope stroked her hand down. The dress skirts swooped down looking like two large wings, and Penelope suddenly worked out that the dress was based on a bird. Looking at the back of the dress, it had two long ribbons trailing down, with small curls looped through and the corset was laced up with pure white lace ribbon. To say that Penelope was astounded at the craftsman's ship was an understatement. Then her attention was transfixed on the mask that Claude was holding delicately in one hand.

The mask was like the dress in colour, and had two white feathers just above the eyebrows, but not sticking out so they went above or over the actual mask. One side, that being the right, rose up and curled into a number of delicate swirls, representing a wing, whilst the other side was rather like any other half shaped mask, yet still a beautiful as its simplicity only enhanced the right side's elegance. Penelope was taken aback by how much effort had been put into the outfit and looked at Claude with wide green eyes.

"When did you have this made? There was no way you could have gotten this on the day the letter came!" She exclaimed, though her smile on her face had yet to slip.

"Do you like it then?" Claude asked, completely ignoring her question. She in reply nodded enthusiastically, but she frowned at his dismissal of her question.

"Claude" she wined, "answer the question!" He, in response only gave her a suspicious smile and tapped her nose.

"I have ways. Now, I'm glad you like it, but have you worked out what you are masquerading as? If you haven't I still have something to show you". Whilst he spoke, he put the mask gently down and kept his hand behind his back, shielding her from something. She in return attempted to hide her frustration at his secrecy, but decided to let the subject drop as it was bound to not be as interesting as she once thought.

"Well, it has to be some sort of bird since the feathers imply as much. And as you know me so well, it's bound to be something I like". She paused to think of something and then gave a squeal of delight. "It's a swan, isn't it? Is it because of my love for Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake?" She asked excitedly.

Claude had to admit, seeing her so excited sent a pleasant feeling spiralling down to his chest, and if he did have a heart he would have been concerned that this strange feeling could be threatening to his health. Regaining his thoughts, he nodded his head to answer her question. From a young age, Penelope had adored classical music, especially Tchaikovsky's, and although he first considered basing the masquerade gown of The Sugar Plum Princess, he realised that it would do no justice to her innocence. No, the Swan Lake, which she adored, highlighted her rare innocence and he had a perfect plan surrounding it.

"You are indeed right, and this" he moved his arm so that she could not see what he had been hiding "is your tiara which you will also be wearing". The tiara, which Claude had designed himself like the rest of the outfit, was circular with two silver wings that attached at the back and in the centre, with two sparkling jewel like eyes, sat the neck and head of a silver swan. It was not too big to draw attention towards it, but it was enough to demonstrate what she was. Penelope had immediately clapped her hands in joy and carefully took it out of Claude's hands gently, to avoid breaking it. It was indeed beautiful and she couldn't wait to get everything on.

"I don't know what to say Claude, it's truly so amazing, I have no idea how much this all cost! You are the most loyal and kind friend I could have ever have wished for!" As she spoke, she put down the tiara next to the mask and gave him a bear hug. However, as she hugged him, she did not see the glint of sadness in his eyes when she called him 'friend'. But as her 'friend' he returned the hug.

A few hours later Penelope found herself in her bedroom having her hair done by Victoria. According to Victoria, Claude had told her that he wanted doing, which was to tame her fiery red hair into soft curls that would frame her face around the mask. He also wanted the tiara to be interwoven into her hair to keep it in place. Penelope hated having her hair done as it was often a chore to do so since she had so much of.

"You must be so excited for tonight my Lady, especially with that gorgeous dress! It will do you some good to go and socialise with those of your class, I fear that you may lose your sanity with just the company of Mr Faustus and I" Victoria chatted away as she applied the hot irons to her red mane.

"I prefer both of your company to those of a higher class; it is as though they are so restricted by social barriers that they cease to comprehend anything that goes outside of their own lives. But overall, I am indeed excited, I have not been out in a long while" Penelope laughed.

When she was a child, her parents had forced her to attend a number of extravagant balls, all equally the same, full of rich arrogant people, trying to become even richer. She loved the dressing up aspect of it, but as a small, shy child, Penelope had hated the social aspect. In fact one time, in which her parents had hosted the ball, she had been so anxiety ridden that she had spent an hour hiding in the servant's quarters, trying to be as silent as a mouse. Claude, had like always, accounted for her every move and spent the hour trying to calm her down, and after she had stopped crying he had brought her back up. She had acted so calm because, Claude told her that if she smiled all night, he would buy her a new story book. Of course this had been enough to get Penelope grinning all night.

Penelope's hair took another hour until it was completed and then with Victoria's help, Penelope got into the magnificent dress. Before she had her hair done, Claude had commanded her to eat saying that although there would be food at the ball, it would not be substantial. She had retorted at first as she just wanted to get dressed up, but the mature side of her accepted his proposal and she did as she was told. Sometimes, she wondered who was really in charge.

The dress, which she had thought to have been heavy at first glance, actually was quite light, and she could only guess Claude wanted this because of how much dancing she was to endure. As it was being put on, the corset was tightened around her small waist, and Penelope gave a wheeze when Victoria pulled the lace tighter.

"It must be done my Lady, and I must say that it compliments your figure very well". Victoria added as she tied the last knot in the lace. The dress skirts were placed securely, and Penelope felt as though she was drowning in a sea of fabric at one point. But as the dress was sorted out finally and her shoes put on, which Claude had given to her earlier on, Penelope could all but gawk at her reflection. She hardly recognised herself, the curly red hair, the dress that matched her skin in shade and mask which highlighted her large green eyes, she looked….striking. A sudden noise made Penelope jump, and turning her head she saw Victoria blowing her nose into a handkerchief. Giving her a perplexed look, Penelope enquired to what was the matter.

"You just look so lovely". Victoria replied with a sniffle causing Penelope to laugh. Thanking her, Penelope, started to make her way to the door and was impressed with how easy it was to move with the dress on. She reached the top of the stairs and her emerald eyes met golden ones. She had barely moved a muscle when she found her arm looped in Claude's arm, she gave him a shy smile and allowed him to escort her down the stairs.

"So, how do I look?" Penelope asked when they reached the bottom of the stairs and unhooked her arm gently from his. Claude in reply just stared at her, his eye briefly raking up and down her body, before settling on her face, without a word, he took her arm and spun her around so he could get a better view. Penelope, who was beginning to feel nervous at Claude's lack of a response, was about to say something when he finally spoke.

"Your beauty transcends even the immortals" he said quietly. Penelope was taken back and she felt tears form in her eyes at his kind words but blinked them away. She never got a chance to reply, as he had walked away to get his coat and hat. Watching him put them on; she shouted a quick goodbye to Victoria who was rushing down the stairs and walked outside to the carriage. Claude spent a couple of minutes telling Victoria some of her duties and when to expect them back and then helped Penelope to get in the carriage before telling the driver to go, and climbing in himself.

The first few minutes of the journey were in complete silence, and Penelope spent those minutes beginning to panic about the ball. She worried over nothing half the time, and since she had spent such a long time out of popular society, she wondered if this was the right decision. Her biggest fear was the pity she was bound to receive, ever since her parents died, she received a number of pitying looks and letters of family friends. It annoyed her as she did not want to be defined as a mourning child, but rather a mature young lady who was dealing with her parent's death. After all it was quite a while ago. Claude must have seen the worry in her eyes, and took her hand.

"Calm down" was all he said, causing Penelope to jump as the silence had been broken for the first time.

"I know, I just get worked up over nothing. I am not used to talking with strangers and this time I can hardly hide behind your leg" she replied with a smile. "After all, although I'm small, I'm not as small as I used to be" she laughed.

Claude released her hand and gave a small smirk. His thoughts had been clouded ever since he first laid eyes upon Penelope in the dress. He felt every bit of lust that he had kept pent up for years, come very close to over flowing. He had even considered grabbing her and taking her to her room, and forgetting the Ball all together. Yet, trying to regain any sense of control he had left, he had acted normal, and now found himself in a small enclosed area with the girl, no young lady, that he lusted after.

"You have to do this Penelope, you can't always be closed off from society, soon you will have to re-enter and plan for the future. You are no longer a child". He spoke calmly but she could detect some coldness in his words.

"And does that upset you?" she asked slowly, wondering why he was angered by her growing up.

"It does not. But you will have to start thinking of your future; you will not stay young forever". He replied whilst looking determinedly at the window.

"You are implying marriage, are you not?" She asked, suddenly alarmed. She had not even thought of the prospect of marrying, especially as she was more concerned with the threat of Lucy over her head.

"It is a duty that is expected of you". He stated monotonously.

"Perhaps it is, but I may not want to marry for there is no one I love. And have you forgotten about Lucy? I can hardly be courted whilst she is around. In fact I do not wish to be married and that is the end of that. I no longer want to discuss this." Penelope finished with a sigh and looked out of the carriage, smiling sadly as a few raindrops dripped down the window. Claude, who was surprised at her outburst turned to look at the now sad girl. Sighing, he realised that he needed to rectify the problem.

"If you truly do not wish to marry another, then you are not forced to do it. But you are right, we will forget this discussion. Tonight you should aim to enjoy yourself, and i forgot to inform you, the Opera singer Irene Diaz, who you have been to watch, will be singing tonight".

"Really?!" she exclaimed, trying to push the thoughts of marriage out of her head. "Perhaps I will enjoy myself; I just hope that I won't act to awkward tonight. I swear I am socially inept". She added with a chuckle, although she tried to hide the nervousness in her voice.

"Once you relax, I'm sure you will be fine. We should be arriving in an hour" he added.

"I should have brought a book to read, although mind you, It's too dark to read I suppose" she sighed and tried to get comfortable as much as the dress allowed.

Suddenly Claude reached under the seat and brought out the book she had started reading a few days previously, Pride and Prejudice. Although it was dark, Penelope could still tell the book by spotting her bookmark poking out of it. Laughing she asked him how she was going to read.

"Well I suppose that considering you can't see, and I can, means that I will have to read it to you". Claude replied softly and before long, Penelope was caught up in Elizabeth Bennet's life.


	12. Chapter 12

**PLEASE READ - ****A/N Hello! Sorry for the delay but I had to sort out the timeline problem in the story. Basically I have changed the story slightly meaning that if you are a regular reader, please start from Chapter 12 since it's different to the previous one. I have deleted chapters 12-14 and uploaded two new chapters which are now chapter 12 and 13. I hope people are not too disappointed with the change to the story and if there is any confusion just PM me and I will gladly explain in more detail. Thankfully the story hasn't changed too much and I hope you all enjoy it! If you are a new reader just ignore this message!**

With Claude reading, the journey went by quite fast and soon Penelope found herself preparing to get out of the carriage. The house, which although was in the city of London, was vast in size and made Penelope's own house look like a garden shed in comparison. Turning to Claude, Penelope gave him a small whistle and gestured to the size of the place. Claude just smiled at her reaction.

"It is indeed quite a large estate" he responded before making his way out of the carriage. Moving her skirts, Penelope took Claude's white gloved hand which was waiting for her and got down slowly. Standing at the door was a butler dressed in a rather viscous shade of violet and had a bored expression painted on his face. Claude allowed some servants to take the carriage before standing dutifully behind his mistress.

The colourful butler managed to crack a half convincing smile when she approached and gestured for her to continue. The minute she stepped foot into the estate, noise surrounded her, and she felt herself stop, not used to the atmosphere. Yet she felt a cold gloved hand on her lower back push her forward and carried on.

The ballroom was a sea of masked faces and bright colours. All around her was a display of bold flowers which fragrance perfumed the room. Chatter and laughing echoed of every pale yellow wall and Penelope felt both ill and excited at the prospect of getting involved.

"My Lady" Claude spoke softly and gestured for her to go in. As she walked through the door, another man dressed in violet announced her name to the room and waited for the next person.

Feeling slightly overwhelmed by the atmosphere, she was very tempted to turn back and run but she felt a hand on her back preventing her. Claude glanced down at her scared form and escorted her to the side, out of the way of the other guests.

"My Lady, please relax. Perhaps you should introduce yourself to Irene Diaz who is situated over there" Claude gestured smoothly to the striking couple who Penelope recognised from watching them so much on the stage. Turning to Claude she watched as his eyes narrowed and she tugged on his sleeve to gain his attention.

"Please excuse me mistress. I will find you a refreshment whilst you introduce yourself". Penelope didn't get a chance to reply as Claude had already began stalking across the room and slowly was engulfed by the sea of masks.

Shaking her head, she walked forward in the direction of the opera singer, who was happily talking to a young gentleman, but her path was blocked by a plume of multicolour feathers.

"Oh what beautiful creature, an elegant swan you are! You are the true personification of the Garden of Eden, and I must taste the apple!" swooned the excitable character in front of her. The man, or rather peacock, was dressed head to toe in bright bold colours and had a mask that was jewelled with ruby like crystals. Penelope had absolutely no idea how to respond to the odd man but she had little time to reply when he grabbed her white gloved hand and kissed the fabric. Swooning once more, and rather dramatically twirling her around so that she found herself in his arms, he stroked her mask.

"Who are you my dear swan?" he asked with an airy voice.

"Lady Penelope-" she didn't get a chance to finish her sentence as he gave a cry of happiness.

"The name, derived from the suffering wife of Odysseus' wife, oh you must be as angel like as you appear". He carried on touching her, a little too inappropriately and she decided that she wanted to know who he was.

"Viscount Druitt! Unhand that girl at once!" snapped a female voice from nearby. The Viscount in question gave a startled jump, before plastering a smile back on his face.

"Ah my beautiful Irene Diaz, your voice is on par with the angels who sing sweet melody's in my sleep!" He still had not let go of Penelope and she attempted to dislodge herself. The opera singer, who was accompanied by the man she had seen him talking to earlier on, took Penelope's hand and got her away.

"Now, perhaps the Viscount should go and say hello to the rest of the guests" she said coldly and with one last scathing look at the down looking Druitt, she hooked her arm in Penelope's and took her back to the corner which she had originally came from.

"You must never allow a man to take advantage, as females we are seen as below them on all levels, but we are far more". Irene said with a determined glint in her eye, which quickly turned to surprise.

"I do apologise, I have not introduced myself, I am Irene Diaz and this here" she gestured to the man "is Julius Pitt". They both bowed their heads and in return Penelope gave a small curtsy.

"It is an honour… it really is to meet you Miss Diaz and you Mr Pitt. I have been to the theatre to watch you countless times Miss Diaz and each time you are as spectacular as the last. Thank you for saving me from that situation before and Oh I am Lady Penelope" she said in a rush. In a space of ten minutes, Penelope already felt as though too much had happened, but seeing her favourite opera singer cheered her up. In reply to her rushed speech, the couple laughed at her enthusiasm.

"I'm always honoured to meet a fan, not all people appreciate music and it's obvious you do. So please call me and my friend by are names my Lady. Are you here all alone?" Irene asked with a charming smile. Her outfit was a light shade of blue, pink purples and reds. Looking closer it reminded Penelope of the way the sky looked in the very early mornings. Julius was wearing the same colours but considerably darker, and Penelope could guess what they were.

"Then you must call me by my name also. I am not alone…. I have my butler with me but I can't for the life of me tell you where he has gone. Also, would I be right in guessing that you are dressed as the sunrise and sunset?" The two looked at one another in surprise, and at first Penelope thought it was over her butler's behaviour.

"You are the first person other than Lord Davis to recognise our costumes! I'm so very glad our idea was not wasted. Julius here spent at least a week coming up with the idea. You are a swan, are you not?" asked Irene who was happy to have a conversation with someone who was not obsessed with climbing up the social ladder. Penelope in return smiled and began to answer the question. As she spoke Penelope realised that the night might not be as bad as she first thought.

Meanwhile, Claude who had abandoned the search for a drink for Penelope was standing outside, listening very carefully for any disturbances in the wind. He had sworn that he sensed Lucy when he was in the ballroom and felt a surge of anger at the very idea of Lucy being within the same proximity as his Penelope. But his instincts had oddly enough been proven wrong since he could no longer feel any unusual presence. Feeling guilty about leaving Penelope on her own, especially considering that she had been so nervous; Claude slowly made his way back into the large building. He didn't notice as he left however, two glowing red eyes watching him from the bushes.

Penelope was laughing happily when a sudden cough from behind her caused her to jump in surprise. Turning around from her conversation with Irene and Julius, she was greeted with the sight of a butler and a tall young man who looked as though he was only a few years older than her. The young man was pleasant looking and wore a big toothy grin, and his eyes were a sparkling blue which were slightly shadowed by a golden mask. His entire outfit for that matter was in fact golden, from his shoes to his headpiece. She gave a smile back in return and Irene grinned from behind her shoulder.

"This is Lord Davis who I mentioned before Lady Penelope! We will leave you both to get acquainted. We will make sure to talk later". Irene spoke cheerily as she dragged Julius away with her leaving Penelope alone with the new strangers.

"Lady Penelope, what an honour it is to see you. We have met once but that was a long time ago. I would also like to give you my condolences, I knew you father through my cousin". Lord Davis spoke softly and Penelope just nodded in acknowledgement. Usually she would have told him that she does not need nor want any sympathy but considering he seemed to genuinely mean it, and obviously meant no harm, she let it slide. Holding out her hand, she waited for him to accept it, which he did almost hurriedly and give her gloved hand a tender kiss.

"Thank you. I appreciate the thought. But I do not wish to discuss the past, so I must ask because I'm quite curious, what are you dressed as?" Penelope asked, hoping to stay away from the topic of her parents. She still found it hard to talk about them. Considering she now knew they were murdered she felt even less inclined to talk of them. She pretended for Claude's sake that she had moved on, but deep down she still felt a painful stab when they were mentioned. She was snapped out of her sad thoughts when Lord Davis gave a gleeful chuckle.

"Ah! Yes! I'm glad you asked. But before I tell you, you must guess". Penelope had to admit that his merriment was infectious and she couldn't help but laugh. She wished Claude could act a little more jovial at times but quickly got rid of that thought. Yet the thought of Claude led to her attention being focused on the bored looking butler who was standing loyally behind Davis. Lord Davis noticed her looking behind him and waved a gold covered hand over his shoulder.

"Dean, you are excused. Please find something useful to do". At these words Dean just walked away slowly, still wearing the bored expression. Davis' attention was now solely focused on Penelope and gave her an encouraging smile.

"And what will be my reward if I guess correctly my Lord?" Penelope asked with a mischievous smile. He gave her a playful bow and put his hand to his heart dramatically.

"You will get the grandest prize of all. A dance with me". Penelope laughed in reply and nodded her head in acceptance. It had been so long since she had spoken to another person other than Claude or Victoria and although Irene had been lovely to talk to, Penelope found Lord Davis amusing to be around. Placing a finger to her lip, she tapped her bottom lip thoughtfully as she considered what he could be dressed as. Suddenly it clicked.

"Are you by any chance King Midas?" she asked with a smile. The Lord in reply nodded enthusiastically and took her hand in his own larger one.

"You would be correct and now as promised we will dance!" he cried happily and escorted her to the dance floor. She laughed as she danced and they exchanged a few witty remarks about her being turned to gold since he was touching her, and she felt relaxed around him.

Watching from the side, Claude gazed at the sight in front of him. His Penelope was in someone else's arms and looked absolutely content. He felt panic stab his chest. Although she had explained that she did not wish to marry, her joyful expressions directed to the young man she was with now suggested otherwise. Claude had always thought of this happening. At first the idea of her marrying and then no longer needing him, which could release him from his debt, excited him. But now the idea made him feel sick. Clenching his hand around the glass he was currently holding, he turned around and exited the room, just in time for the glass to smash.

Penelope was having a fantastic time. She had just been passed off by Lord Davis to a smaller young man who had a nervous stutter. He had introduced himself as Leonard and she gave him an encouraging smile, trying to calm him down. After a couple of minutes of dancing the young man seemed more relaxed and only stuttered a bit when he spoke. Yet her conversation was abruptly ended when she was pulled into the arms of another.

She was about to snap at the rude man who she was now dancing with but stopped as she took in his costume and mask. As she gasped the orchestra suddenly began to play Tchaikovsky's 'Swan Lake' and Penelope found herself dancing with the black swan himself. The man was dressed all in black with the exact same mask as her own, but in black. It was only when her eyes met golden ones she opened her mouth to gape in surprise.

"Claude?" she whispered in obvious surprise. He in return just smirked and continued to spin her around in small circles along with the music. His arm was wrapped tightly against her waist and her petite frame was pulled up against his own. It was for the first time that Penelope felt a jolt run through her entire body. She felt heat beginning to pool in her stomach and was confused by her reaction. She had been near him before and never felt like this. As he spun her around again, Penelope tried to rationalise her bodies response but couldn't. Instead she could only focus on his lean body against her own. She sucked in a squeal she was about to release when the music stopped and he dipped her body down. Glancing at his golden eyes, Penelope was shocked to see her own desire mirrored in his. The sound of clapping broke the intense moment and before she knew it, Penelope was pulled back up and left alone feeling very flushed. Wondering what just happened; Penelope felt a hand grab her own and was dragged to the side.

"You danced wonderfully! Who was that man?" Irene asked excitedly as Julius wrapped his own arm around Irene's frame. They had been dancing not far from Penelope and had witnessed the exchange.

"Um… Just an acquaintance". Penelope replied as she shook her head. 'The carriage ride home is going to really awkward now' she thought as she glanced around the room. After seeing no sign of Claude, she carried on with the discussion but her mind kept wandering back to the way Claude had felt against her.

The rest of the evening was uneventful with more dancing and discussion. By the end, Penelope was ready to fall asleep on the spot. She was talking to Lord Davis when Claude suddenly appeared and informed her some of the guests were leaving and that they should be leaving considering the time it would take to get back. Agreeing with Claude, she bid Lord Davis farewell and Claude allowed her to exit the room first and followed her.

"It's time to start making some arrangements Dean. I don't want to lose this one". Lord Davis snapped at his butler as he watched Penelope go.

Outside, Penelope awkwardly clambered into the carriage that had been waiting for her. She didn't get very far as Claude appeared at her side and took her hand allowing her to get in without any difficulty. Snorting at her own clumsiness, Penelope gave quite thanks and seated herself down. When they were both settled down, the carriage began its journey home. Yet as the carriage was leaving, Penelope moved quickly to the window and opened it to shout a goodbye at Irene and Julius. They waved in return and Penelope felt an arm grab her waist, pulling her back in.

"You will catch a chill". Claude responded to her confused look.

Five minutes into the journey, Penelope felt her cheeks flame up at the thought of the dance and she looked out the window to distract herself. She was about to drift off to sleep when something entered her mind.

"Where were you tonight? I never did get that drink you went to get me; thankfully I was offered one by a servant".


	13. Chapter 13

Claude had already suspected that Penelope would question his whereabouts and therefore was not surprised by her question. Instead he was more surprised by the blush that had painted her cheeks moments ago and he couldn't help but feel slightly smug knowing he was most likely the cause of it. When he had danced with her, he expected her to be shocked or even annoyed at his behaviour. He had not accounted on her showing any hints of desire and the moment she did, Claude had never been so tempted in all his life to kiss someone. Realising that Penelope was waiting for an answer, he removed himself from his lust filled thoughts and replied.

"I was just being cautious". Penelope sat up and rubbed her eyes tiredly. Yet however tired she was, she was determined to find out what he was up to. His answer had not satisfied her and she just glared in response.

"Cautious about?" she asked

"Your safety. I did not want to alarm you but I thought I felt Lucy's presence so I went to investigate". He answered truthfully; surprising Penelope who thought it would take longer to get the truth out of him. Penelope pushed back some of the loose red curls that were now starting to come out of place and gave Claude a soft smile.

"Although I'm grateful for your protection and determination to keep me safe, you must allow yourself to relax. Lucy is unlikely to attack me in public anyway". Claude did not reply and just leaned back into the dark stuffed seats of the carriage. Silence filled the space for a while until Penelope broke it.

"That Lord Davis was nice. He had good sense of humour! And Irene was lovely to talk to, along with Julius. I think this outing has made me a little more social". She laughed and closed her eyes. Claude on the other hand looked anything other than relaxed and swallowed a growl at the mention of Lord Davis. As he was leaving, he heard what the Lord had said to his butler and now his suspicions around the boy were raised. He decided that he would have to do some investigating, but would leave it until the morning to do so.

"His costume of Midas was really quite good. It was an interesting theme to go for". Penelope chattered on, still with her eyes closed. It was only when the temperature of the carriage fell suddenly that Penelope opened her eyes. Looking at Claude, she could only see his glowing golden eyes as his face was covered by shadows. She wondered if he was getting annoyed at her talking so she decided to test the theory out.

"Irene and Julius also had great costume ideas, though it wasn't the most obvious thing to go as". She added with a smile. When he did not respond she spoke again.

"Apparently Lord Davis was the only other person apart from me to guess correctly". Yet her smile had completely disappeared as Claude eyes flashed red for a moment causing her to shrink back. Penelope realised he was not watching her but was instead glaring at the seat next to her. As she watched him, small webs formed at the corners of the carriage and Penelope couldn't stop the cry of alarm leave her mouth when a large spider crawled out of one of the webs. Using her hand she quickly thumped the carriage roof causing the driver to slow the pace and stop. Claude suddenly came to his senses as Penelope was opening the door of the carriage. Looking up he watched as the webs slowly turned to dust all except the one closest to him which held a spider. He turned his attention to Penelope and in a flash appeared out the carriage by her side. In less than a minute she had already gotten out and was beginning to walk away.

"Penelope get back inside the carriage". Claude ordered sternly. She glared at him and carried on walking straight forward. Claude, not wanting to create a scene grabbed her by the waist and directed his attention to the driver. With a wave of his hand the driver had fallen into a quiet slumber, allowing Claude to speak freely. Penelope on the other hand was struggling against his strong hold and realised that it felt nothing like the way had held her before. She couldn't tell if it was because he was far gentler or that she had gone temporarily mad.

"Claude get off me". She snapped and used her elbow to hit him in the ribs. However Claude did not feel any pain and continued to drag her back to the carriage.

"I'm not going back in there with you and the spider!" she cried as he was about to put her back in. He stopped at the mention of the spider.

"Then I will remove it". He said simply and carefully moved the spider out of the web and brought it outside. Penelope watched as Claude went over to the nearest bush to put the spider down. Yet as he was busy, Penelope decided that it was her perfect chance to run. His anger in the carriage had frightened her and in all honesty she would have rather he had thrown himself in the bush and kept the spider in the carriage.

She had just begun to run when her legs were lifted on the ground and she was in Claude's arms. Giving a frustrated cry, Penelope put her face in her hands and allowed Claude to carry her back into the carriage. Claude had moved his hand out the window and seconds later the carriage began to move. Meanwhile, Penelope had not removed her face from her hands and squeezed her eyes tightly.

'Oh my god. Just let me get out of here alive' she thought as she gave a shuddering sigh. The silence, which seemed to fill the small space, was suddenly broken.

"I thought you were more intelligent than to attempt to run away in the middle of nowhere, especially considering you have Lucy as a threat. Perhaps you are more foolish that I first thought".

Penelope pursed her lips behind her hands and turned her body so that she was facing the window, removing her hands from her face. Ignoring his comment, she looked determinedly out of the window. However, she could not ignore the next comment.

"It doesn't surprise me that humans do not last long". Penelope snapped her head around and gave out a humourless laugh.

"Oh I'm sorry but oddly enough I am human and I can't really do a lot about that. And the only reason I was running away was because you decided to get angry and scare me! If you think I'm so foolish, why didn't you let me run? Maybe then I wouldn't lasted very long because I'm a human and you could finally be free of me!" she shouted the last bit and looked back out of the window. 'He has to ruin a perfectly good night' she thought bitterly. Claude's temper had completely gone at this point and he stared in disbelief at the girl he cared for. He watched as he rubbed her hand angrily over her eyes and guilt washed over him knowing he had made her cry. But what was worse, was that he had frightened her. Slowly he moved himself so that he was sitting next to her and he grimaced when she flinched at his movement.

"Penelope.." He sighed, wondering what to do. She in return just stared out the window before replying.

"Can we just pretend this never happened?" she asked quietly. Claude moved her gently towards him and pulled her into his arms. Her body in response stiffened and he felt annoyed that he had caused this reaction.

"We cannot simply forget it. I apologise for my actions. I should never have directed my anger towards you or given you any reason to be scared. But you must understand that running away in the middle of nowhere is very dangerous". He explained and stroked her hair, occasionally detangling the odd curl. Sitting up, Penelope locked eyes with him.

"Why were you angry with me in the first place? Did you dislike me talking?" she asked, obvious confusion laced within her voice.

"I… I was not annoyed at you. Rather the situation with Lucy". He partly lied as for the most part he was annoyed at Lucy but he would not confess that he disliked her new friend. She seemed to watch him as though analysing his words and then nodded her head.

"I would prefer in future that you just tell me what's wrong instead of getting angry. Even if I'm the source of your annoyance. Also, I accept that my attempt at running was foolish and I am sorry for my actions". She spoke calmly and Claude was happy that she didn't seem afraid anymore, instead she just seemed guarded which he guessed was better.

"Try to sleep. We will be returning soon".

"I can't wait to get out of this dress its lovely but not that comfortable after spending god knows how many hours in it". He chuckled at her words and she yawned before moving herself so that she was resting on the window rather than Claude. He felt a stab of pain at being rejected but pushed it away. He would have to give her time, since he had frightened her.

Twenty minutes later Claude was carrying Penelope's body out of the carriage and up the stairs to her room. He passed Victoria and she offered to help put away the carriage. He in return told her to return upstairs when she was done.

Penelope awoke as he was carrying her and started to move in his arms. Opening her eyes, she looked at him and put her arms around his neck, effectively burying her head into the crook of his neck. She was now aware of her surroundings and gave a sigh at the warmth of the house. 'I can't stay mad at him forever' she thought, feeling slightly bad for her treatment of him in the carriage. She realised that he had only wanted to protect her and although he had overreacted, she shouldn't be upset with her friend, since she knew deep down that he would never hurt her. Intentionally anyway.

When he got to her room, he slowly placed her on the bed and she gave a small smile as thanks. He was just about to go so that Victoria could help her undress when he felt a hand grab his own. Turning back, Penelope threw herself into his arms and hugged him tightly. He was in shock for a few seconds and then returned the hug.

"I'm sorry". She mumbled into his tailcoat and he shushed her. A few minutes later the sound of the door opening distracted the two, causing them to pull away. Victoria came in holding a pot of warm water and towels over her arm.

"Did you have a nice time Lady Penelope?" she asked, slightly distracted as she began to place the bowl of water on the dressing table. Claude gave a small bow to Penelope and silently left the room allowing her to get dressed.

"It was…good overall. I met Irene Diaz and her partner Julius Pitt! They were lovely to talk to and seemed genuinely interested in me. Oh and I met Lord Davis who was charming to be around, he had a great sense of humour". Penelope chattered away as she removed her mask and began to remove the dress, all the while batting Victoria's hands out of the way, demonstrating that she did not need any assistance.

"Was this Lord Davis handsome?" Victoria asked with playful grin. Yet as Victoria turned away, she didn't notice the small frown that graced Penelope's lips.

"I suppose one could describe him as handsome…" she paused as she put her nightie on, grateful to finally be in something she deemed more comfortable.

"But do you find him handsome?" Victoria asked as she held a towel out ready for Penelope who was now making her way to the bowl of water.

"Do you know when you are attracted to someone Victoria? I mean what are you supposed to feel?" Penelope asked avoiding Victoria's previous questions. Penelope liked Lord Davis but she would only consider him a friend, since she had only just met him. Also, being around him didn't arouse any odd feelings, so she believed that she was not attracted to him. But she still wanted to know what it was like to be attracted to someone. Her mother, before she died, or rather murdered, had begun to explain love to Penelope but she didn't fully understand the concept. Victoria looked thoughtfully and waited for Penelope to dry her face and finish washing before she answered.

"Well, some people feel breathless, happy, and overjoyed and a whole range of different emotions. I think it's quite hard to put into words what it feels like to be attracted to someone for I believe it is different for everyone. If I may be so bold, what emotions did you feel to make you feel as though you are attracted to another?" Victoria asked as she folded the towels. Penelope had by this time made her way to the bed and was thinking how to answer. She supposed Victoria believed she was attracted to Lord Davis, but in reality she was thinking of her reaction towards Claude. Even the thought of their dance made her cheeks redden, causing her to get under the sheets and shield her face, hoping to calm down. Moving the sheets back, she realised Victoria was staring at her with a knowing smile.

"Well…I felt warm…and odd". Penelope mumbled and glared at a now gigging Victoria.

"Ah my Lady, it's completely natural to feel like that! In fact I'm happy that you have found someone!" Vitoria exclaimed happily and began to make her way towards the door.

"But what does it mean?" Penelope exclaimed worriedly. Victoria opened the door and turned around.

"Perhaps you are beginning to fall in love". Penelope gawked and her eyes widened. Yet she couldn't decide what was worse, being told that she might be in love or the fact that Claude was standing right behind Victoria just as she spoke.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N Sorry for the long wait, hope everyone enjoys this chapter!**

It had been three weeks since the ball and Claude was currently glaring at the scrunched up letter in his hands with such ferocity that it was a wonder that it did not go up in flames. The letter was from Lord Davis and just the mention of the name was enough to send Claude into frenzy. He wished that he had never heard what Victoria had said to Penelope as the words haunted him every day. So for three weeks he had been intensely watching the Lord Davis to make sure nothing suspicious was going on, although deep down he hoped there was as it would work as a deterrent for Penelope.

However he was out of luck and all he had found out was that Lord Davis intended to court Penelope which would ultimately lead to marriage. The letter he held in his hand was the first attempt at courting as he had already read it and knew it to be an invitation. Unclenching his hand and smoothing the letter out, he went towards her study where he had left her to get on with some work an hour ago as he helped Victoria around the house. The moment the letter had been delivered, by Lord Davis' butler, Claude had already decided that he would do everything in his power to stop her going. At first he planned to dispose of the letter but the last thing he needed was for another one to come, which would turn Penelope against him if she found out. So he had to use other tactics.

Opening the door a little louder than intended, Penelope turned her head briefly and then put her pencil down which she had been using moments ago. Over the past weeks to describe the atmosphere as awkward was an understatement. When he had walked in that night on the conversation with Victoria, she noticed him looking rather annoyed. Thankfully he had not brought it up but his behaviour towards her was far sterner. Penelope felt a mixture of confusing feelings in the past weeks. She felt hurt as she guessed he was more intelligent than Victoria and knew that she was attracted to him rather than Lord Davis. She could only assume that he thought her foolish to develop any feelings of the romantic nature towards him and the small rejection had saddened her deeply. She had tried to resolve this of course by being happy in his presence, but he would no longer spend longer than necessary in a room with her. Sighing, she stood up and looked at the letter he had in his hand. Smiling she gestured to it and carefully took it from his hands.

"This is the first letter I've had in a long time! I wonder who it could be from". Even she could hear her fake optimism in her voice and she had to force herself not to grimace as she opened the letter, knowing Claude was more than aware of her false happiness. All the while Claude just stood still and watched her.

As she read the letter a small smile graced her features. It was an invitation to watch the royal ballet preform Tchaikovsky's 'Sleeping Beauty' with Lord Davis. She had always wanted to watch the performance and passed the letter to Claude.

"Isn't this great! Lord Davis is very kind to ask me to join him, although it is rather short notice as the ballet starts tomorrow night. I will have to go and tell Victoria to help me decide what dress will be the most appropriate". She was just about to skip out of the room when Claude's voice stopped her.

"I'm afraid you will not be able to go. Please continue studying, you have yet to complete that essay I set you an hour ago". Penelope could only stare at him and walked slowly back to her seat.

"Why can't I go?" she asked, wondering if she had any other pressing date to deal with but considering she had not been out since the ball, she was confused to what Claude was on about.

Claude meanwhile swore internally. He had a few excuses but he knew that she would argue her way out of them. Trying to think of an excuse she couldn't get out of, he folded the letter and put it in his pocket, ignoring the dull throb in his chest which he had been feeling for the past few weeks whenever in her presence.

"Your dress maker is arriving tomorrow to take your measurements". He lied coolly and began to leave the room. Penelope almost laughed. She knew that he would have told her sooner had that been the case and gave a sigh of disbelief.

"I don't believe that for one moment Claude. I would like you to give the letter to Victoria and ask her to send a response, saying that I accept his proposal and should be glad to go with him. If you are concerned that I won't finish my essay, you are in luck as I should be finished in a few minutes". He pursed his lips in response and she walked over to him and crossed her arms.

"Why don't you want me to go? There is obviously another reason". She wanted to hit him for being so annoying, but decided against it. He in return just started at her as he calculated what to say. He could hardly admit to being jealous of a young boy, but he knew that there was no other explanation behind it.

"I see you are quite determined to go and will not listen to any reason. As if this is the case, you may finish the essay and meet Victoria. Please excuse me". He dodged the question smoothly and made a beeline towards the door. Penelope however had other ideas. She ran quickly, almost tripping over her honey coloured dress and threw herself at the door. Although in her head she had wanted to appear in control, it didn't go quite as planned as she had to remove some of her red curls from her mouth as running with lots of hair can be a problem sometimes. Trying to gather herself, she smoothed the hair, or should she say out of control nest, and crossed her arms. Glaring up at the much taller man, his glasses hitting the light caused a glare and Penelope squinted her eyes in an attempt to see his own. A long time ago, her mother had once said that the eyes were the doorways of the soul and therefore Penelope thought that if she could see his, then she would have a better idea towards what he was thinking. A slight cough broke Penelope's thoughts and she focused her full attention back on the man in front of her.

"Claude, could you please take of your glasses?" Her question left the demon confused, but carefully he removed them and held them in his gloved hands. Penelope tried to contain any feelings of awe at his handsome features and internally chastised herself for feeling her knees go weak. She was not an idiot; of course she noticed that Claude was unnaturally good looking. Yet, in comparison to other women, Penelope was always far more discreet at showing her emotions and therefore would not openly admire her friend. She thought him handsome with and without glasses, but considering it was rare to see him without glasses, Penelope enjoyed the sight while it lasted, and discreetly of course.

"Answer my original question. Why do you not wish for me to go?" Claude, who was already confused at why his glasses had to be removed to answer this question, thought carefully about his answer. Deciding that he could not think of a suitable one, he instead amused himself with having a staring test instead. He had found her actions odd but entertaining when she had blocked his exit, and now that she was stood with her arms folded and a frustrated expression slowly growing on her face, Claude could only see how far her patience would last. He knew he was being cruel, but it was his small revenge for her choosing Lord Davis. Another dull pain throbbed in his chest and like the previous times, he just ignored it, instead focusing on Penelope for his own small entertainment.

Meanwhile, Penelope realised that Claude was neither answering nor blinking. 'So he wants to play that game' she thought. Glaring at him with all her might, she crossed her arms tighter and waited for him to speak. Yet her eyes started to feel irritated and the more she thought about her eyes, the worse it got until she blinked. As soon as she blinked she saw an almost ghost like smirk appear on Claude's face and she unfolded her arms.

"God dammit!" she snapped and turned around to leave the room. She hated playing any game against him as he usually won. Yet, her swift exit was stopped rather quickly when a gloved hand wrapped itself round her forearm and pulled her back.

"Language" he chided with a chuckle and before she could respond, he came in closer so she could feel his cold breath of her lips. Holding her own breath, she could only stare at his golden eyes that were usually shielded behind glass.

"To answer your question, I have no problem at all. However, I do have a problem with you not finishing your work". He stepped back and after placing his glasses back on his face, he moved her away from the door and made his way out of it. Just as he was about to close the door, he stopped and looked over his shoulder.

"You have an extra thirty minutes to complete it. I will collect it when you have finished. Also I will send Victoria to deliver to message accepting the invitation". Seconds later he had closed the door leaving Penelope on her own. As though she had been brought to life, she let out the breath she had been keeping and growled.

"Language?! I know far worse words the -" her sentence was cut short when Claude's loud voice shouted "language" once more. Grumbling, she walked over to her work and picked up her pencil. Although he had technically dismissed her question, she was glad he wasn't acting overly awkward like he had been weeks ago. She did wonder though, why he would allow himself to be so close to her if he disliked the idea of her holding affection towards him. Shaking her head, she carried on writing her essay.

Just as Claude had promised, thirty minutes later, he came in the room and took the finished essay out of her hands just as she was reading over it. He seemed content as he skim read the first paragraph of her eight pages and folded it to put away in his pocket.

"I will read this later in my quarters and give you feedback tomorrow morning". Penelope nodded in reply and began to stand up. Yet she gave a sudden jump when Victoria bust into the room.

"Ah! Mr Faustus! The carriage has broken a wheel so I cannot deliver the letter". She spoke hurriedly and tried to straighten out her uniform which hand creased from her running. Claude on the other hand looked undisturbed and not surprised in the least. He just nodded his head and took the letter carefully saying that he would see to it. Penelope narrowed her eyes slightly wondering if it was just a coincidence but decided to leave it for the moment.

"Why don't you go and start my evening meal instead Victoria? I'm sure Claude here will sort the problem so do not fret" Penelope spoke with a smile encouraging Victoria to relax. Victoria only nodded in return and left the room. The minute she left, Penelope headed straight for the door as well.

Claude followed Penelope curiously and watched as she headed outside towards the carriage. He was about to ask her to go back inside as he would take care of it when she stopped suddenly at the sight of the carriage and pointed a finger at him.

"You did this!" she exclaimed, obvious irritation laced in her voice. Claude tried to stifle to chuckle that he felt crawling up his throat and just shook his head in response. He knew her to be intelligent but was quite impressed she had automatically jumped to the right conclusion. He couldn't decide whether she was either paranoid or knew him too well. The second he had left her to complete the essay, he had checked that Victoria was occupied and went to the carriage. He knew very well how desperate he looked but snapping the wheel in half was his last attempt. He also felt an odd sense of accomplishment as he did so, but he should have foreseen Penelope's stubbornness.

"I have no idea what you are talking about" he replied and smoothed out his tailcoat and dark grey waistcoat. Penelope, on the other hand gave a humourless laugh.

"Don't give me that nonsense. We both know that you have caused this. The minute you found out about that invitation, you have been trying to stop me from going. Perhaps if you gave me a reason that was not some excuse, then I would be willing to listen, but so far today you have deliberately tried to sabotage the event". She ranted angrily and then stormed up to him, closing the distance.

"Your dress is not made for this cool weather, perhaps you should return inside whilst I fix the carriage" he commented dryly and made his way around her smaller body. Penelope was not having any of it. Grabbing his arm, she pulled him so he was facing her way. Feeling as the shoe was on the other foot, since earlier on it as him pulling her; she stood on her tip toes and pulled his face closer with her cold hands.

"Please just tell me what's wrong? What could be so important that you had to break the carriage to stop me going with Lord Davis?" She didn't care how desperate she sounded, as long as she got an answer. Claude felt a pang of guilt at her distress but shoved it away. He felt a sick sense of satisfaction that she was upset as he was suffering because of her. But a sharp pain hit his chest and he gave a small gasp and doubled over. His knees never hit the ground as he expected because Penelope managed to catch him, just about, and slowly lowered him to the floor, which was thankfully not he gravel but rather concrete.

"Oh my God, Claude are you okay? You can't get ill! Well I don't actually know that but I always assumed as much" she rambled as she placed her hand on his forehead. She suddenly remembered the day she first met him and images of his covered in blood flashed through her mind. She guessed he could get ill then. Claude took a few deep breaths and opened his eyes waiting for the pain to subside. This had only happened a couple of times and on those occasions Penelope had never been there to witness it. The cause of the pain was due to his debt. If he purposely went against the debt, which was in this case acting as a friend, he would feel an immense amount of pain. Although it can be argued that when he lost his temper, he was not acting as a friend it had always been unintentional to cause any upset. Furthermore, he learnt that he would only feel any prominent pain if he had intentionally caused her to be in distress and if her upset had lasted long enough for him to have recognised it. His selfishness in this instance was breaking the deal in the debt and therefore he was being made to pay for his mistake of not acting as a friend.

He remembered the first time it had happened which was when she had only been young. He had not been in her service for that long and was still feeling rather bitter about the debt. Due to this resentfulness, he had purposely ignored her when she had asked him to join him for her picnic and read to her. He had almost fallen down the stairs as he was struck by such a powerful sensation. It was then that he learnt that he had to be a good friend for his own sake as well. Over the years, he had felt pangs of pain and dealt with them well by clearing up any upset that he may have caused. Over the three weeks, he had only felt a dull throb sometimes and dismissed it. He realised that it was a foolish decision considering he was now on the floor again.

He moved Penelope's hand from his forehead and moved his own from his chest. Looking at her worried features, he accepted that he would have to allow her to go and be with Lord Davis even if he disliked the idea. But he would tell her the truth that he had sensed Lucy at the ball and was worried for her safety. However he would not tell her the reasoning behind his pain as he knew that she would blame herself and feel worse.

"Calm down, I'm fine". He sighed and began to stand up, already feeling numb from the cold floor. Yet Penelope practically pushed him down again causing him to groan at the impact. She apologised quickly and knelt down beside him.

"What do you mean that you are 'fine'? You are obviously not, as you wouldn't be on the floor. I've never seen you like this, something must be wrong!" she exclaimed and she started to bite her pink lips as she was beginning to grow anxious.

"I wouldn't be on the floor if you would allow me to stand up. Your evening meal should be fully prepared at this rate and Victoria will be coming to get you shortly. I will explain later after you have eaten and warmed up. Allow me to fix the carriage in the meantime". She looked as though she was about to argue but his pleading eyes caused her to reluctantly accept. She stood up first and then held her hand for him to stand up. Gently he took her hand and stood back up to his full height, towering over her once more. He went to pull away his hand when he realised that she had laced her fingers through his and pulled his hand closer so her cheek rested against his knuckles.

"You promise to explain this and you promise that you are alright?" she asked uncertainly. He sighed and nodded his head. Moving his other hand, he used his thumb to gently trace the outline of her cheekbone and detangled his other hand from her own, but not without one final squeeze. She gave him a small smile and just as he was about to lean in and do the one thing that he had fantasised the most, Victoria's voice echoed throughout the garden.

"Lady Penelope, your meal is ready!" Penelope, who had been stood as still as a statue, silently hoping that Claude was going to kiss her and not just do what he had done previously which was talking instead, whipped her head around and saw Victoria's form appear around the corner of the house. Penelope did not see Claude's eyes glow angrily behind her as the moment she turned back he had straightened up and gestured for her to go. She nodded and ran back towards the house. But not before turning around to check he was ok. Yet he already had his back turned and was making his way towards the carriage.

When Claude reached the carriage he knelt down to be at level with the wheel and snorted at the fact that he had to fix his own mess. He had been both annoyed and thankful that Victoria had interrupted them. He had genuinely been ready to kiss her and the thought frightened him. Although he desired much too much to kiss Penelope and of course not just that, he could ultimately end their friendship which as something he wanted to avoid. As he started to reattach the broken wheel he had gleefully smashed apart, he was replaying the previous events in his mind. Penelope had, dare he say, looked almost hopeful as he leaned in and he had no idea why. He believed she was in love, or falling in love with Lord Davis. That night when he had walked in on her conversation and heard Victoria's words, he had assumed it was Lord Davis they were talking about. But judging by her reaction, Claude started to believe otherwise. 'Could she have really have meant me?' he thought and shook his head, deciding to focus on the task at hand. 'Impossible' he thought, answering his own question. But the more he thought about it, the more likable it started to seem. Her reaction whilst dancing with him at the ball, her affectionate nature towards him and her general concern for him all made him question whether she returned his feelings. Whether she did or did not, he would first have to answer her question and make reasonable excuse for why he had been in pain. But he knew one thing for sure; Lord Davis would no longer be the only one courting Penelope.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N Hello! Just a disclaimer- I don't own Alice's Adventures in Wonderland of Sleeping Beauty either.**

**Hope everyone is enjoying the story!**

Penelope had finished her meal and was pacing up and down the living room, waiting not exactly patiently for Claude. Throughout her meal, she had done nothing but worry for her friend. It was unusual to see someone who she deemed as indestructible, in pain. But she knew of course that just because he was a demon did not exclude him from the limitations of pain as her first encounter with him reflected that. Throwing herself into a chair, she tucked her legs underneath herself and tapped her finger on the plush arm of the chair. She was in the middle of debating whether to go and search for him when he opened the door, causing her to jump in the chair.

"How was your meal?" Claude asked politely as he settled into the chair that was opposite her. As he was seated, Penelope began to inspect his body for any signs of injury. He noticed this and shifted slightly hoping to gain her attention without embarrassing her. It worked and Penelope's eyes snapped back up to meet his own.

"It was delicious as always, thank you for asking. But I would rather discuss more important matters". She tried to look calm but her fidgeting was a clear give away that she was worried and Claude knew he had to do something to ease that worry. Although, if he spoke about Lucy he was unsure that it would help her.

"When concerning before you should not worry, if demons do not get sufficient rest they tend to become weak. I am simply tired, nothing more". He lied smoothly and hoped Penelope would accept it. She gave him a scrutinizing look as though weighing up his words. Then, standing up, Penelope walked over to him and grabbing his hands, she pulled him up to a standing position.

"If you need rest, then you should go you to your quarters and do so. Please do not put such a strain upon yourself Claude. There really is no need; everything you do for me is already enough. When I asked you to be my friend, I never asked you to be my butler so if you are finding tasks too difficult, not to cause offense, we can get a butler to do them. But right now, you need to rest and if I have to drag you to your quarters then I will". As she finished, she kept to her word and started to pull him over to the door. He stopped her though and gently pushed her back towards her seat. He did not, however, retake his own seat. Instead he knelt down in front of her and took her hands.

"As much as I find your consideration towards my health touching, and I am not being sarcastic, I am more than capable to preform my duties. I have just been rather neglectful of my own needs and I apologise for causing you to worry. As far as the friend matter, in my opinion being a friend involves caring for you which I can do in public by being your butler". As he finished, Penelope took her hands out of his and went to stand. Knowing that she was still going to try and make him sleep, Claude moved forward and pushed her back down.

"I still have to explain my reasoning for you not to go to the theatre tomorrow". Penelope sighed, knowing that her curiosity was raised, so she settled down quietly and gestured for him to continue. Claude moved back to his seat and explained how he had sensed Lucy's presence at the ball and was sure that Lucy was attempting to make contact. He then explained how he could protect her far more efficiently if she was in the grounds of the house. As Penelope listened she felt guilty for being angry with him. 'I should have known he was just being protective' she thought, internally chastising herself for thinking otherwise.

"Claude, I can't hide all my life. But if you are sure that Lucy wants to make contact, perhaps we should start to take steps to remove her permanently as a threat. I think it would be wise if we did this after the ballet though. I have been dying to see 'Sleeping Beauty' for so long and I won't allow someone to ruin this chance for me, especially since Lord Davis has been kind enough to invite me. But right now, I would like you to go and rest for the continuation of tonight, I'm sure Victoria and I can manage for a while without you". She spoke softly and gave him a smile as she stood up again. Smoothing down her honey coloured dress, she walked over to his seat and leaned down so that their noses were almost touching. She watched with some amusement as Claude's Adam's apple bobbed gently as he inaudibly gulped. His golden eyes glanced down at her lips and he licked his own unconsciously. Penelope placed both of her hands on his thighs and their faces were so close Claude could feel her curly hair tickle the sides of his face. 'If only she would move just a bit closer' he thought, desperately trying to control his own desire to capture her lips with his own. Her hot breath suddenly snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Also, just for the record, a lady should be able to say what she wants in her own home. So as far as language is concerned, I do not need reminding on how to speak". She felt a sense of achievement at getting him back for his digs at her use of language previously. Drawing back quickly, in less than a few seconds she was already out of the door leaving a very flustered Claude in her wake. He even thought that he heard her giggle. Releasing a long breath that he had not been aware of holding, he swore softly at his body's reaction.

"Language Claude!" Penelope shouted from outside the door. Claude couldn't stop the grin painting his face and took his glasses of so he could rub his face. He had to admit that he had been feeling slightly tired but not unnaturally so. Originally it had been a lie just to avoid telling the truth about the real cause of the pain, but the idea of a rest was starting to feel quite appealing. Sitting back he looked down at himself and gave a defeated sigh. Penelope had really caused quite a reaction and his body was obviously showing it. He supposed that while he was resting he could deal with the 'little' problem anyway. But just as he was getting up, Victoria suddenly burst into the room looking stressed. Claude quickly sat back down and crossed his legs, hoping that Victoria wouldn't see anything that could cause embarrassment.

"Mr Faustus! It's starting to get dark and no one has delivered the letter!" she exclaimed looking as though she would faint from panic at any moment. Shifting slightly, Claude waved his gloved hand as to dismiss her and internally celebrated at her distress as it was successfully keeping all her attention away from him.

"I've already delivered it. Please do not worry. Instead, it would be more helpful if you help Penelope decide what she is wearing tomorrow. Penelope also wishes me to have the night off, so you are now in charge of getting her to bed. However, if you are in need of any assistance I will be in my quarters, although I would prefer not to be disturbed. Now if that is all, I believe Penelope is currently in her room no doubt causing a mess in her wardrobe". His words carried no emotions and Victoria squeaked a yes and went upstairs. Shaking his head, Claude within a blink of an eye appeared in his quarters and he carefully started to take of his gloves. He had a problem to deal with.

Meanwhile Penelope was doing exactly what Claude predicted, rummaging through her dresses repeating the word 'no' over and over again. Throwing herself on her bed, she huffed with irritation and turned her head at the door opening.

"Oh thank God you are here Victoria!" she confessed and crawled off her bed. Victoria just laughed and walked over to the wardrobe and picked a pale green dress with embodied flowers running up the side. It was not too fancy but still looked appealing. Presenting it to Penelope, the younger girl tipped her head to the side whilst admiring it and then gave a large smile.

"I don't know how you find anything in their sometimes Victoria, but I'm very grateful that you have! I'm so excited for tomorrow; it will also be enjoyable since I will be in the company of someone who is amusing as well". As she spoke, Penelope started to change into her night clothes. Victoria gave her a puzzled look and took the discarded dress off the bed where Penelope had thrown it and hung it up neatly.

"I hope you don't mind me asking, but it is only seven thirty and seems rather early for you to go to bed My Lady" Victoria then moved towards the dressing table and passed Penelope the brush that she had been lucking for.

"I'm not going to bed, I'm going to the library to read, but sometimes the dresses are not the most comfortable thing to wear whilst reading. Would you be able to tie my hair up in a ribbon since I keep struggling to do so?" Penelope pleaded as she let her red curls fall chaotically over her shoulders again. Victoria was by her side in a flash and took the brush out of her hands to do so.

"Is Mr Faustus well? I heard that he is retiring for the night. He also told me that he has delivered the letter to Lord Davis as well, which I thought was quick considering how far away Lord David lives but he told me not to worry". As Victoria spoke, Penelope wondered if he had really delivered the letter and decided that after she went to the library to find a book she would so and ask.

"He just needs a rest, you know how he can be, working all the time". Penelope answered and smiled at her reflection in the mirror as her hair was now pulled up again allowing her to see clearly. Although she did love her hair, having both thick and long hair could be such a pain and she constantly got sick of the bits of hair that would attempt to block her vision if the escaped the compound of her ribbon. Turning around, Penelope opened her bedside draw and pulled out a knitted blanket and wrapped it around her body ready to go and snuggle up with it and a good book. Pulling the blanket so it covered her head as well she turned to Victoria and giggled.

"Thank you for your help. If there isn't anything you need to do, you can also have a few hours off. But I will be going to bed for about ten so if I'm not in my bedroom by that time, just shout me and I will move". Victoria laughed at the sight of Penelope wrapped up like a mummy giving her orders and gave a small bow.

"Thank you, but I have a few chores I need to do. I have to sort some washing and water the flowers. I hope you enjoy reading". And with that, Victoria left Penelope and made her way to the washing room.

Penelope started to head towards the library but stopped mid step. 'Perhaps I should see Claude first and confirm that the letter has been delivered before I settle down in the library' she thought. So turning around she headed down the stairs and made her way to the servant quarters. Giggling, she decided that her current state looked a bit like a ghost and though she could argue that she was being childish, she thought that pretending to be like a ghost might cheer him up.

Claude meanwhile was lying down on his bed trying to regain his breath. It had been a while since he had to sort any problem of that 'type' anyway, and he had to admit that he felt some of the frustration leave his body. Moving his hand in a smooth motion all mess was cleaned up and he closed his eyes hoping to get some actual rest. But a sudden noise caused his eyes to widen. Moving like lightning, he grabbed the nearest sheet and covered his body, which was currently only wearing his white shirt, as he had discarded everything else. Looking over to the door, he watched as it slowly opened and a muffled giggle followed. Sitting up, but making sure the cover was still fixed onto his lower half, he watched as a figure with a blanket wrapped over them came into the room rather clumsily.

'oooooo' Penelope moaned but stopped due to laughing. Taking off the blanket but keeping it around her neck like a cape; she chuckled at Claude's puzzled expression.

"Hello! I'm just coming to check how you are. Though I suppose if I've just woken you, I haven't done a very good job". As Penelope spoke she realised that he may have been sleeping and immediately regretted her childish actions. Just as she was about to apologise, Claude's voice stopped her.

"I'm guessing that you were supposed to be a ghost? If so, I think you need to rethink you technique. As for you waking me up, I wasn't asleep to begin with". He seemed amused so Penelope felt a sense of relief wash over her. She in return walked over and unceremoniously threw herself on the bed and rolled herself up in the cover. He watched her amuse herself and shuffled back in the bed allowing her more room to mess about. After a couple more rolls, Penelope sat up and noticed he no longer had his glove on. She liked his hands she decided, he had long fingers and she wouldn't be surprised if he played the piano well.

"I happen to be quite a good ghost actually". She teased and crawled up the bed so that she was in-between his legs. Claude almost had a fit and gripped the cover which nearly fell at her movements. He tried to distract her from his current plight.

"For someone who hasn't seen a ghost, you appear to think you know a lot about them". She leaned on his knee and hummed in agreement. She noticed however that he seemed to be acting odd and his skin looked shiny as though he had a temperature. Moving forward she went to place a hand on his forehead but was stopped when his hand captured her wrist. It was slightly warm and Penelope chocked on a gasp, as she as used to cold hands.

"Are you sure you are well Claude? You seem to be warmer than normal". He completely ignored her and pushed her back slightly.

"Are you going to bed, it is quite early for you to retire?" Claude asked and gestured with one hand at her nightclothes. He tried to avert his eyes from her creamy legs that were showing, especially as her white night dress had hitched up allowing him to see more thigh than he should have.

"I'm not going to bed; I'm actually going to the library to read for a few hours. And I know that you avoided the question. But first I would like to know if you sent the letter to Lord Davis?" Claude just nodded and leaned back so his back hit the wooden frame of the bed. This forced Penelope to stop leaning on his knee and she readjusted her dress as she changed her position. Yet as she moved, Claude's eyes were fixated on her movements and he forced himself to not los focus.

"I hope you enjoy whatever book you choose to read, although I advise that you should not stay up too late. I have also sent the letter as I told Victoria, so there is no need to be so suspicious". He added the last bit as though it was an afterthought. Penelope accepted his answer but was still annoyed he had not answered the one about his health. Getting off the bed, she pulled her cover with her and didn't see Claude almost scramble to stop his own being pulled off as well.

"Well for your own health, which is equally as important as my own, I have decided that Victoria will accompany me tomorrow instead and you will stay and rest. Get some sleep and I might come to see you before I go to bed". She didn't give him a chance to argue and practically ran out of the room leaving a disgruntled Claude in her wake.

When she reached the library, she grabbed a book from her shelf and seated herself in the comfy chair that was near the window. She had chosen 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland', which she had already read but wanted to do so again considering it wasn't a book that was too long. But as she sat down and snuggled up, she wondered if she had made the right decision. The idea of Lucy kidnapping her was frightful but she believed that Lucy wouldn't be able to successfully pull off something like that in public. Anyway, she could ask Claude to pick Victoria and herself up after the ballet instead. 'Yes' she thought happily 'that should be ok'. Nodding her head, she then became fully consumed by the story in her hands.

A loud bong echoed throughout the quite house and Penelope looked towards the clock which rested over the fireplace in the library. It was half nine and Penelope realised that she was getting tired. Closing the book, she smothered a yawn and made her way out of the room after putting the book back. The hallways were dark but after living in the house since she was born, she could walk around the house with her eyes closed and get to where she wanted. She was about to walk to her room when she realised that she had yet to say goodnight to Claude. Sighing, she turned around to the servant quarters.

When she reached Claude's room, which was almost plain in comparison to her own, she nudged the door open bit by bit to reduce the risk of any sound. When she looked in the room, it was almost completely black apart from the slither of light created by the gap in the curtain allowing one moon beam to shine through. Thankfully, this one piece of light made Claude's features visible and she couldn't help but give a tender smile at his sleeping form. Creeping closer into the room, she moved closer until she was hovering near his face. Being deliberately wary as not to wake him, Penelope placed a soft kiss on his forehead and cautiously ran a hand through his coal like hair, marvelling at how soft it was. Moving back, Penelope realised that he didn't seem as warm as he had been, as his skin had been cold upon her lips. Taking the blanket off her shoulders she placed it over his long body and tucked him in carefully.

"Goodnight" she whispered and left the room, making sure not to cause any unnecessary noise.

When she reached her own room, Victoria was already waiting with a hot bowl of water for her to wash. Smiling she began to tell Victoria that she would be joining her to the ballet and started to prepare for bed.

Meanwhile, Claude's eyes were wide open and he was rubbing his gloveless fingers against the spot she kissed in an almost loving manner. Turning over on his side, he pulled her cover over himself and deeply inhaled, enjoying her scent. Although he was annoyed that she wanted him to stay at the house whilst Victoria went with her to the ballet and he would argue it in the morning, he knew one thing for sure. Penelope obviously cared about him. With that final thought, he closed his eyes and attempted to sleep, something he rarely did.


	16. Chapter 16

From the minute Penelope had woken up, Claude had done nothing but tried to change her decision of leaving him at the house. All the while Penelope had either ignored his complaint or repeated the answer 'I've made my decision' over and over again. This had been going on for the majority of the morning, including breakfast and Penelope had purposely locked herself in the library to avoid him. She was in the middle of reading 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' when a knock broke her from her trance. At first Penelope narrowed her eyes at the sound, as though already suspecting it was Claude, but when Victoria's voice came muffled through the door, Penelope had no other option than to open the door.

Standing up, Penelope unlocked the door and was surprised to see no one outside. She stepped into the hallway and wondered where Victoria had gone. Giving a defeated sigh, Penelope pushed back her stray red curls that were starting to block her vision, smoothed down her lilac dress and locked the door again. As she made her way to her usual chair next to the window, she could not help but gasp when she saw Victoria outside collecting the freshly cleaned bed sheets. She was practically sat on the windowsill as she watched Victoria fold the sheets and Penelope rubbed her eyes in disbelief.

"But…I swore I just heard her" she whispered. Without out turning around, she threw herself back into the chair that she had been sat in minutes ago. However, she wasn't expecting to land in someone's lap. Giving a frightened shriek, Penelope attempted to stand up, only to be stopped by two powerful arms. Trying to regain her senses, Penelope gave a frustrated growl once she realised that Claude had somehow got in the room.

"What are you doing?" she snapped and managed to get free of his grip. Spinning around she fixed him with her firmest glare only to get in return a smirk.

"Arguably you did hear Victoria's voice, it just so happened that it wasn't her. You should be more cautious Penelope". He tutted as though telling her off. Penelope on the other hand saw no humour in the situation and snatched the book off the arm of the chair and placed it back on the shelf.

"So you can impersonate people now? Great, a very interesting skill. But that doesn't explain why you are in here. Surely you have not come in to ask me again to rethink my decision because you have already heard everything I have said on the matter. If you are so concerned, you may pick Victoria and myself up after the ballet but today is for you to rest. Also the ballet starts at six o'clock tonight so we will be setting off about five o'clock due to the time it takes to travel there. Considering it is almost one o'clock now, I'm assuming dinner will be soon and then I will have not long to start preparing". As she spoke, Penelope paced up and down in front of Claude and stopped right in front of him as she finished speaking. All the while Claude just looked thoughtful.

"I was actually here to tell you dinner is ready now. As for the ballet, I have accepted your proposal and will meet you afterwards. And yes, impersonation is indeed an interesting skill". He stood up and offered Penelope his arm to escort her to the dining room. Yet Penelope was watching him with suspicion. She couldn't understand why all of a sudden he was agreeing with her. Looking at his outstretched arm she looped her own through and gave his arm a small squeeze. Yet just before they left the room, Penelope began to speak.

"So can you do impersonations of anyone?" she asked curiously. Claude in return squeezed her arm slightly and pulled her along, encouraging her to keep walking.

"Of course". Came the reply, but it was not Claude's usual cold tone, instead it sounded exactly like Penelope. Penelope in response gasped and covered her mouth with her hand.

"That's creepy. I mean really creepy! Remind me one night about this talent, it would make quite a fun game though" she laughed and carried on down the stairs. He chuckled as well and led her to the dining room for her meal.

Hours later, Penelope was fully dressed in the green dress with embodied flowers and her unruly blood red hair was held securely in a ribbon which was the same shade as the dress. She wore long white gloves, matching white shoes and a white choker around her neck. She had asked Victoria not to tie the corset too tight and had to admit that the dress even with the corset was not too uncomfortable. She had hardly worn this dress and was happy that she could finally get some use out of; she had paid for it after all. Victoria, who was wearing a full black dress and a white shawl, looked giddy at the prospect of going out and Penelope had even helped her with her hair. When the two had descended down the stairs, Claude had to try to stop his eyes rolling at their excited behaviour.

He was thankful however that Penelope seemed distracted as he openly admired her figure in the dress. But his eyes stopped on the white chocker around her neck. She already had a very slender neck and the chocker arguably highlighted it more. He thought of all the delicious things he could do to that neck but stopped himself as she appeared in front of him.

"The ballet should last about two hours so if you arrive by eight o'clock, I'm sure that we will be ready. Remember to rest!" Penelope walked as she spoke and Claude just nodded his head in acknowledgement. He opened the door of the carriage and held his hand out for Victoria who blushed and murmured a 'thank you'. Before Penelope got in, however, she took his hand and turned to face him.

"Seriously, try and rest and don't worry about me. If I need you, I will call your name. I sure you'll answer" she whispered and in reply Claude lifted her gloved hand with his own and pressed his lips against the silky material.

"Always" He whispered and gestured for her to get in the carriage. Giving his hand a squeeze, Penelope got in, being particularly careful about tripping up on her skirts and started to get comfortable. Claude then gestured to the driver that they were ready and the two large white horses began to pull the carriage. Penelope waved happily out of the window, without caring if her hair was being attacked by the wind and Claude returned the wave but slightly more calmly. When the carriage had fully disappeared Claude headed back in and started to get ready. He after all had a ballet to go and watch.

The carriage ride seemed to go quite fast as Penelope and Victoria spent the entire time gossiping and generally talking about whatever entered their minds. Victoria kept asking about Lord Davis and how excited se was to see him in the flesh. All the while, Penelope just kept quiet as she was more concerned with discussing the actual ballet rather than the company. But she had to admit that seeing him again did not sound that unappealing.

When they finally reached the theatre, it was almost time for the ballet to begin and Penelope smiled as she saw Lord Davis and his butler waiting for them outside the theatre. The carriage had only just stopped when Lord Davis opened the door and grinned wildly at her. Offering her his hand he pulled Penelope out a little more forcefully than intended causing her to fall into him. She apologised hastily and scrambled to create a safe distance which would not look inappropriate. As she stood back, she began to look at him properly. He looked different now that he was not dressed in gold, and Penelope was able to admire his features for the first time. She noticed immediately his shining blue eyes, but she also noticed his sharp cheek bones and curly golden hair. He looked quite the opposite of Claude and she shook her head as she compared the two. As handsome as Lord Davis was, she had already concluded that she found Claude more attractive. But she couldn't deny that Lord Davis's smile and impressive physique outlined by his flattering black suit and waistcoat was not an appealing sight. Yet he had a childish air around him and she only hoped that he would take the ballet seriously and would not joke all night, even if she found him to be entertaining.

"Ah my apologise Lady Penelope! I am overjoyed to see you again. You must excuse my behaviour. I will try my hardest to be the gentleman I was brought up to be". He had moved forward to wrap his hands around her waist and reluctantly let her go as she pushed away gently. Penelope didn't actually feel offended by his actions and laughed at his theatrics, but she would rather he didn't act so dramatic towards her. She was also quite shocked to be pressed up against someone who was warm as Claude was naturally so cold. Trying not to think of Claude and focus on her night out she turned around and watched as Victoria sent the carriage off and joined her side.

"We should make our way inside Lord Davis; it would be a shame to miss the beginning. And I'm sure your behaviour will be nothing but gentlemanly". He laughed and pulled her arm so it linked with his own. Victoria beside her let out a small giggle and the all entered the building.

Penelope and Victoria both cooed at the theatre as it was their first time visiting this particular one. The ceiling as painted in various shades of gold and the seats were all made of red velvet. As they made their way around the theatre and descended higher, she felt a shiver travel up the back of her neck but thought nothing of it, instead blaming a draft. They passed a group of people who were also making their way to their seat and one young man bumped into her. He gave a stuttered apology and he hurried past which prevented Penelope from seeing his face. Although she had barely registered anyone's face since Lord Davis was practically dragging her along all the while happily chattering away about his horse winning the latest race.

When they reached their seats they were balcony seats in their own private stall and suggesting that Lord Davis had spent a lot of money occupying them. The view was good though so she could hardly complain. It was not long after she was seated when the lights dimmed ever so slightly and the orchestra began to play. Penelope had to shush Lord Davis politely who began to enquire about her health and rather feebly she just nodded and pointed to the dancers who began to pour on stage. She was grateful that Lord Davis shut up and she allowed herself to be caught up by the magic on the stage. Yet just as she was getting into the first scene, she suddenly felt Lord Davis' hand close over her own and entwined his fingers with her own. It was at this moment that she didn't really know what to do. She felt extremely uncomfortable by his actions but knowing how much effort he had gone to, to get these tickets and invite her to the ballet ultimately meant that Penelope allowed him to keep his hand in place. But the longer he held her hand, the more Penelope started to compare it to her experiences with Claude.

Whenever they had held hands it was a gentle thing and she always felt comfortable whilst he did so. She also felt safe in his presence and right now she had to contain the shudder that was crawling up her back as Lord Davis had started to rub small circles on the palm of her hand, occasionally tapping along to the music. Feeling thoroughly annoyed, Penelope coughed back a sigh and tried to focus on the ballet.

A few rows beneath her seat and more to the right sat a man with a black coat which had a rather high collar. Moments ago he had worn a top hat but considering he was inside, he knew it would draw too much attention. Watching the audience through his glasses, Claude had to force himself not to keep watching Penelope. The whole reason why he had gone in the first place was to watch out for Lucy, not to spy on Penelope. Reminding himself again why he was there, his eyes moved over the audience and stopped abruptly when they landed on a grinning female.

Directly opposite him, on the left side of the theatre, a dark haired woman wore a leery grin which was directed at him. Moving her hand subtly, she waved at him in an almost teasing manner. He had known that Lucy would appear and part of him really wanted to enjoy the fact that he was right but instead he decided that he needed to remove her from near Penelope. Watching her, she stood up and politely asked people to move and made her way out of the back doors. Yet just before she disappeared, she looked up and smiled at Penelope who was oblivious to the unfolding drama meters away. Feeing his blood boil over the way Lucy looked at Penelope, he copied her movements and once outside the theatre he was instantly in front of Lucy.

"Perhaps we should do this more privately, how about the roof?" Lucy asked as she twirled a piece of straight black hair through her ruby red painted nails. Claude nodded and before Lucy could blink they were on the roof of the high building and the cold night air hit them.

"It's nice to see you again" she murmured and circled around him in a predatory fashion. He in return just stood still, attempting to control the urge to punch her in the face. He hated her so much and if he could get away with killing her and not causing a scene at that moment he would. But considering the last time they fought, the house got damaged; he wanted to avoid causing a large scene. To him Lucy was vermin, she was the biggest threat to Penelope and as long as he had a breath in his body, he would not allow Lucy to harm her.

"I wish I could say the same to you. However I neither enjoy nor want your company. So perhaps I should get to the point. What do you want with Penelope?" he asked. As expected Lucy did not answer and instead laughed and danced around him once more. Yet she stopped behind him and pressed her long body against his own. He felt her ice cold breath against his ear as she spoke.

"How protective you are over your little human. It's rather pathetic to see a demon in such a state. Falling in love with a human! Ha! You have no idea how amusing I find this" as she spoke she moved her hand up and down his back in a soothing manner but for Claude it felt like maggots were crawling under his skin. Shaking her off roughly, he turned around and closed his hand around her throat and lifted her body up so her feet dangled above the ground. Yet she did not show any pain, rather amusement instead. He tightened his hand and gave a sadistic smirk when a gargled sound erupted from her lips and her feet started to kick slightly.

"The only pathetic thing around here is you. Answer the question!" he hissed and threw her to through ground. She landed with hard thud and before she could get up, he slammed her back down, enjoying the sickening crack of her head hitting the floor. Restraining her, he pulled up her sleeves and she started to fight back. Knowing that she was hiding exactly what he wanted to find, he grabbed a handful of her hair and threw her head back again causing her to shriek in pain. Pulling the sleeve up again, he finally saw a contract mark. It had an intricate design like most, but instead of being circular it was winged shaped. Standing up, but keeping her in place with his foot that he crushed down for good measure, he looked at the creature withering on the floor.

"And you say I'm pathetic" he laughed. Grabbing her hair again, he yanked her up so that they were face to face.

"You can make this a lot easier if you tell me who you serve. Yet, if you continue to be stubborn then I suppose I will have to find out through other means". Lucy just snarled at him and looking him straight in the eyes she spat at his face. Shoving her away, she calmly took a white handkerchief from inside his coat pocket and cleaned his face.

"How lovely" he murmured sarcastically. As he put the handkerchief away, Lucy stood up slowly and wiped away some blood that was now pouring down her face from her head wound.

"To answer your original question, my actions are the desires of my master. However I will not, no matter how hard to try, tell you who that person is. You will have to work it out" she giggled and ran forward to hit him. Easily dodging her lazy attempt at causing him harm, Claude grabbed her right arm and twisted it in an unnatural angle causing a sharp snap to echo across the roof, accompanied by her scream. With her other arm, her nails suddenly grew and she stabbed Claude straight in the abdomen which made him gasp in surprise. Realising that he wouldn't get any more information from her, he dodged another attack and grabbing her broken arm; he lifted her up and threw her off the building towards the back alley where it was darker and where she was less likely to be seen. She hit the floor with a loud bang and he watched as she stood up shakily and disappeared into the shadows. Knowing that it would take her some time to heal, considering that damages she just took, Claude allowed himself a minute to relax. It was only when he looked down and saw his blood trickle out of the incisions on his stomach that he also realised that he would too need to recover. Thankfully it would not take long and with a wave of his hand the wounds began to heal, although a bit slowly.

He couldn't be a hundred per cent sure however that Lucy would just leave, so not taking any chances, Claude made his way back into the theatre to find Penelope and get her to leave. He just hoped that she wouldn't be too annoyed at him. Especially considering how much she had been wanting to watch this particular ballet.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N Hello! Sorry for the long wait, I have been busy. I managed to get into University which is amazing so I may not be updating too regularly due to sorting everything out. Anyway, thank you for all the kind reviews (50!) you have no idea happy it makes me to read your comments. I hope you are all finally ready for a bit of romance at last (muhahah). Hopefully this story will start to become a lot more romantic as it goes along, and I hope you guys will like it! If you are enjoying it, please don't hesitate to review as I love hearing everyone's opinions on how the story is going. Hope you enjoy this chapter and have a great day!**

It was halfway through the ballet and Penelope was not enjoying herself, or rather she was not enjoying the present company. Lord Davis was still touching her and kept adding irrelevant comments in an attempt to make her laugh. The first couple of times these comments had been entertaining but now she had to hold her tongue in case she said anything which would cause offense. She was also starting to wonder what she saw in him in the first place. In her opinion, looks didn't mean anything if the personality was ugly, and his arrogance was beginning to look that way. It got to a point when she was about to rip her hand away from him and tell him to shut up when Lord Davis' butler, Dean interrupted. Dean, although tall, was quite the opposite of Claude. His eyes seemed dull as though there was no life behind them, and his greying hair was unkempt as though he had just given up. His glare however was enough to make Penelope shudder.

"Excuse me my Lord, but Lady Penelope's butler has arrived and requests to speak to her urgently" drawled the monotone voice which loomed from behind them. Victoria looked panicked and went to move but Penelope calmly shushed her and excused herself politely, finally allowing her to escape the confines of Lord Davis' crushing hand. She discreetly wiped her now clammy hand on her dress and politely smiled or rather grimaced as she walked past, regretting her decision to take of her gloves when she had sat down

The second she got out in the hallway and saw Claude, she had never been so tempted in her life to throw herself at him. She found it odd that her heart fluttered rapidly and she tried to suppress any thoughts of how handsome he appeared. Yet she did cock her head to the side at his hair which seemed a little more messy than usual. Ignoring it, she controlled the urge to jump into his arms and gave him her full attention. He bowed when he saw her and she inclined her head in response.

"What' wrong?" she whispered when he was closer. He looked not exactly nervous, but she could tell he was trying to find the right words, as he bit his lip for a second. Claude was in fact very relieved as he had imagined reaching her seat and finding them all empty and Lord Davis and Lucy kidnapping her. He had to bite his lip in an attempt to stop himself from just grabbing her and dragging her out of the building.

"Lucy was here after you. It would be best if you leave now for your own safety. There is also a very good chance that the person she has made a contract with is in this theatre right now and therefore they are after you as well". Penelope nodded and bit her lip, worried that she may be in danger. Although she hated Lucy, she had to give her credit for being so determined. She was about to ask a question when he stopped her.

"I will answer everything once we reach home, for now we will tell Victoria and Lord Davis that there is an emergency concerning a family matter and explain that a cousin has fallen ill and that we must wait at home for news of their health". She nodded and to his shock did not argue one bit. Turning around she nearly bumped into Dean who opened the door for her and she swore he shot her suspicious look. Ignoring it, she quietly conveyed the lie and was thankful that Victoria believed it. Lord Davis on the other hand began to whine like a child complaining that he had hardly been in her company. Deciding that he was not the only one who could play the theatrics card, Penelope began to quietly sob.

"I'm so sorry my Lord. I hope I haven't offended you but my dear cousin is deathly ill and I must be up to date on his condition as I could never forgive myself if he died whilst I was enjoying myself in your company". She cried quietly and grasped onto his waistcoat, looking imploringly into his eyes. Internally she wanted to just throw herself off the balcony seats they were sat on rather than cry to the fool, but desperate times caused for desperate measures. Her act seemed to have worked very well as Lord Davis pulled her into his lap and tried to calm her. With his hands, which were practically hidden underneath many jewelled rings, he patted her head in what he thought was a soothing manner. Occasionally he would forcefully tug his hand away since her hair kept getting caught in his eccentric jewellery.

"Of course you should go. You are so caring and kind. But you must promise to meet with me again". He cooed a little too loudly and she cringed when she heard some of the audience nearest their seats to shush them. Pushing herself out of his arms, she thanked him for his understanding of her situation and practically ran out to the hallway with Victoria following her.

Knowing that she still had to keep up with her upset pretence in front of Victoria, the minute she saw Claude she dived into his arms and wrapped her arm around his neck. He seemed shocked and wondered what had caused her to cry.

"Just go along with it, I will explain later". She whispered and he just pulled her closer. Victoria moved so that she rubbed Penelope's back in a motherly way and for a moment Penelope felt rather guilty for pretending since Victoria really seemed to care. Claude then turned his attention to Victoria and told her the carriage was waiting outside for them. Victoria looked as though she was going to hesitate but the look Claude gave her sent her practically running.

As they made their way down the winding corridors, Penelope for a couple of seconds stopped crying and allowed herself to relax into Claude's arms.

"Thank you". She whispered quietly knowing that he would hear her. Claude wasn't exactly sure why she thanked him but pulled her closer in a reply. It didn't take long to get outside and once they were all in the carriage and on their way home, Claude put Victoria asleep so Penelope could put an end to her soft crying. Penelope was starting to create a story about her cousin as she realised that Victoria would ask, but Claude's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"She is asleep now Penelope. You can stop pretending". He said and as though nothing had happened, she pulled back and gave a relieved sigh. Moving so that she could face him, she laughed lightly, wondering why she couldn't just have a normal life and enjoy a ballet like any other person.

"You have no idea how happy I am that, that ordeal has finally ended". She was still in his embrace as she spoke and used her hands to rub away the fake tears. As she rubbed her bare hands against her tired eyes, she suddenly realised that she had forgotten her gloves. Looking over at the sleeping Victoria, she let out a sigh when she realised that they were hanging out of Victoria's clutch purse. Relaxing once more, she glanced at Claude as he began to speak.

"Did you not enjoy yourself tonight?" he asked politely, though Penelope swore that she could hear satisfaction laced in his voice.

"If I have to sit though Lord Davis' company for even another minute, I will literally give up the will to live. I even had to practically beg him to let me leave and it was unbelievably embarrassing. Although I'm quite proud that he fell for it." She replied with a laugh, but Claude could tell she was irritated. Deciding that it was not the right time to look happy at her misfortune, even if he was overjoyed at her displeasure towards the young Lord, Claude tried to cheer her up instead.

"I see we have our own little actress in the making" he commented which rewarded him with a laugh.

"I wouldn't do that even if I was paid!" she exclaimed and then yawned tiredly. It seemed as though the events of the night was catching up with her. She was about to relax back into his embrace when she looked down and saw blood on her dress.

"Oh my God! Are you bleeding?" she nearly shouted and tried to get off him, fearing that she was causing more damage. He didn't get chance to pull her back into his embrace as she was already sat next to him and moving his tailcoat out of the way. He used his hand to slow her movements and Penelope in response just batted his hands out of the way.

"Did Lucy do this? Of course she did, that was a stupid question. You shouldn't have carried me considering how much you are bleeding. If you stop moving, I can see what the damage is" she spoke hurriedly and internally regretted not being interested in the lessons Lucy had taught her about medicine. She had managed to unfasten the ripped waistcoat and was beginning to pull his white shirt out from his trousers when Claude stopped her.

"You seem to forget that I'm not as fragile as humans. It is nearly healed anyway, so please stop your worrying". As he spoke, she gave him an uncertain glare demonstrating that she didn't believe he was fine. Giving up, Claude let go of her hands and gestured for her to continue.

"If you don't believe me, by all means, please continue" his voice carried a certain amount of arrogance causing Penelope to roll her eyes. 'Only Claude could be bleeding and still act the same' she thought with a shake of her head. Taking him up on his offer, she calmly unbuttoned his shirt and gasped at the incisions to his stomach. With wide eyes she watched as a trickle of nearly black blood made its way down his porcelain skin and stained his dark trousers. The cuts didn't look too deep but they were enough to make her wince. Noticing her reaction, Claude tilted her head up so she was looking directly into his eyes. As he looked into her green orbs, he was shocked to see a few tears run down her cheeks.

"Why am I the one crying….when you are the one who is hurt?" she asked in a hushed tone. It was at that exact moment when Penelope realised how deeply she cared for Claude. 'Perhaps this is love' she thought, hoping he couldn't see her internal epiphany. Claude was also feeling an overwhelming amount of emotions and his control was starting to waver. She was brought back to reality when Claude carefully took her hand and positioned her hand so her index finger was pointed out.

"I assure you, I feel no pain" he replied and before Penelope could react, Claude grabbed her finger and pressed it along the cut, causing blood to dribble down her finger. She was about to question him, or rather shout at him, when he suddenly pulled her hand up and seconds later she felt her finger being enveloped by a mixture of warmth and wetness. His eyes were closed and she watched with deer like eyes as he sucked hungrily, yet gently on her finger. He hummed quietly and in response Penelope felt heat pool in her stomach. Clenching her legs together at the unusual feeling, she tried to distract herself from the feeling of his tongue circling her digit sensually. However, she had to bite back a moan when she felt his sharp teeth scrape against her finger. Lowering her eyes, as she felt her cheeks heat up, she gasped again as the cut that was once there had completely disappeared. Looking back up, she jerked back when she realised that his eyes were glowing. He released her finger with a pop, and smirked, allowing Penelope a glimpse at his shark like teeth.

"I am perfectly fine" he breathed and Penelope shuffled back as he moved his body so he was only inches away. Penelope found his actions odd as his usual calm nature had suddenly become the complete opposite. Behind his glasses, his eyes held a mixture of various emotions, some Penelope didn't quite understand but she could comprehend were powerful. She moved back again but gulped when her back hit the wall of the carriage. After all, carriages are not that big.

"You don't look fine" she replied, attempting to prevent the tremble of her voice going noticed. Instead of moving back, Claude turned his body and placed both hands at either side of her head, effectively trapping her. Glancing down, Penelope had to admit that the position looked inappropriate as his clothes were half done and she was practically beneath him. If this had happened a few months ago, Penelope was sure she would have kicked him and slapped him, in an attempt to regain his senses. But now, Penelope felt her curious nature taking over. Carefully, as not to startle him, Penelope placed her hand, the one he had been previously holding, on his forehead and pulled back quickly. She bumped her back against the carriage as she did so.

"You have a fever" she squeaked, unsure if he was actually ill. Penelope thought back to the other day when he collapsed and began to panic. 'What if he is really ill?' Placing her hands at either side of his head she looked him dead in the eyes.

"Did you actually rest today as I instructed?" she snapped, already feeling annoyed that he disobeyed her. For a few minutes he didn't respond, and Penelope slowly started to wonder if the obvious fight he had been in with Lucy had caused any other damage. She was about to ask if he hit his head when he moved forward.

The only thing she could feel was his lips against her own.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N Hello! I have returned at last and must apologise for not uploading sooner! After reading all the great reviews so far I decided that this story does indeed need finishing. So I would like to thank everyone who has either followed, favorited and reviewed my story so far, it has been extremely encouraging. Anyway I hope everyone will enjoy this chapter :) **

She gasped into the kiss allowing Claude to push his tongue into her shocked mouth. He moved his position slightly, moaning as his tongue traced the outline of her pink bottom lip, causing Penelope to feel a mixture of warmth and dizziness. She didn't comprehend how long the kiss lasted but after what felt like a life time, Claude pulled back glaring at her with an intensity she had never witnessed before. it was as though his eyes were glowing with such ferocity that he could see into her very soul. Something which wouldn't have surprised her if he did.

The usually controlled butler was panting heavily, his shirt undone and blood staining his porcelain skin, it was a sight to behold and Penelope was finding it hard not to be in awe of the power he radiated. She moved from beneath him, sitting up more and took a shuddering deep breath. The man who was currently in the confined space with her was no longer the calm butler but a demon, a demon who she could see was lusting after her. She was not scared however, after all the past with Lucy trying to kill her had somehow made her feel more detached from danger. Instead she felt warmth pool between her legs and her eyes remained fixated on his lips, still wet from their last kiss.

As though facing a monster, which some would regard him as, she tentatively reached forward with her hand and cupped his face, amazed at how warm his usual cool skin was. Pushing herself up slowly, as though she did not want to alarm him, she watched as he only cocked his head to one side. She couldn't tell if he was trying to gain back control, after all he was being suspiciously still. Deciding that she may not have another opportunity to take her own control of the situation, she leaned closer and pressed her slightly bruised lips against his own, smiling into the gentle kiss when she felt him stir from his odd trance.

Two strong arms suddenly pulled her body closer, her chest pressed against his own and for a brief second Penelope wondered how bloody her dress would be, but that thought was stripped from her mind when she felt Claude growl deep into the kiss. The situation was beginning to take a serious turn, and Penelope was more than aware that Claude was not in the right mind. She wanted to continue but her mind reeled with worries. Would he hate her when he snapped back to reality? Was Lucy going to attempt something again? What would happen to their friendship now? To say her worries were killing the mood was an understatement and a sudden bump of the carriage against a rock caused the carriage to sway. This appeared to have gained Claude's attention as he broke the kiss and blinked a couple of times. Penelope would have thought the situation funny with his dazed expression, but she was far more concerned about the current consequences of their kiss.

Claude stared at her for a few seconds before moving completely away, quickly sorting his appearance out. Before Penelope could even speak however, the carriage came to a halt and she realised that they had reached the house. Within a blink of an eye, Claude had left the carriage, opened the door on her side and taken the sleeping body of Victoria in his arms. As Penelope exited the carriage, the lit candles above the main door finally showed the damage done to her dress and it was painted in a black substance. Claude's glasses glinted against the candle light and she watched him observe her.

"I will take Victoria to her chamber, in the meantime please go and get dressed and I will be back shortly". His voice was no longer dull, but instead sounded almost strained. Penelope did not need telling twice and practically ran into the building and up the stairs, not once looking behind her.

The minute she entered her bedroom and closed the door behind her, she leant against the door feeling an overwhelming amount of emotions. Grabbing a packet of matches that Victoria would leave on the side, Penelope clumsily made her way around the room lighting each candle, starting to think that the room had an unnecessary amount of the blasted things. When she finished the task of lighting what felt like the entire building she threw the matches onto her dressing table and sighed.

It was then that she allowed herself to giggle, it was quiet at first but the whole night started to get to her and seconds later she was in a fit of laughter. In a space of a night she had been in the company of a Lord (an annoying one at that), had someone planning to kill her and her own butler kissing her. She found the entire situation obscene but as she began to strip the bloody garments off, her apprehension returned. She was thankful the blood hadn't stained her skin or come through the clothes and she put on a fresh night gown which had been waiting for her on her clean white bed. She began to rehearse in her head what on earth she was about say to Claude. She had no excuses for her behaviour but what scared her the most was the knowledge that the kiss had caused such a response from her. A knock on the door broke her train of thought and she shouted for Claude to come in.

When he entered the butler looked completely calm, as though none of the events had even happened. He made his way into the room, gently closing the door with a soft click and finally made eye contact with her.

"So… urmmm… I…I suppose that we need to talk about this". Penelope stuttered nervously. In reply he walked closer until he was only a few steps away from her. He then moved around her to the bed and pulled back the covers, gesturing for her to get in.

"Oh… of course". She mumbled and shoved herself into the bed unceremoniously, the events of the day starting to catch up on her. She almost let out a shocked gasp when he just turned his back and began to leave the room.

"What do you think you are doing?" she suddenly asked with some unknown confidence that surprised even herself. She was not letting him just pretend like nothing had happened. He stopped his movements, his back going rigid and Penelope was almost glad she could not see his current expression. Very slowly he rotated his body and she saw the conflict in his eyes.

"I think you need to sleep mistress, we can talk tomorrow". His voice was back to his monotonous drawl and Penelope felt a wave of frustration wash over her as he said the word 'mistress'.

"No. We are not playing that game Claude. We will discuss it now and if you use the word mistress again when I have specifically told you not to…I…I will…." She ranted off, quite aware that she had nothing to threaten him with. He appeared to smirk and she watched him turn again and walk towards the door. Feeling the stinging pain of rejection, Penelope threw back her covers and started to get off the bed.

"Please Claude". She begged. As soon as the words left her throat she watched Claude suddenly grasp the door for balance and he gave a sharp hiss before nearly falling down.

"Claude!" Penelope exclaimed, running over to him. He had allowed himself to fall into a sitting position and she felt tears prick her eyes. He looked up into her eyes and she swore he grimaced as though he was in more pain. Not knowing exactly what to do, she felt a bit daft flapping about around him like a mother hen, and just as she was considering getting Victoria she felt his gloved hand grasp her flailing hand, pulling her to the floor.

"Will you stop that". He murmured, causing her to give him an affronted look. She was about to call him a cheeky so and so but it was not the time or the place. He then let go and leaned back against the wooden door, his expression returning into one of calmness. The candles which littered the room flickered as though a breeze had been present.

"You wish to discuss the event in the carriage?" he asked, as though it was the last thing on earth he would want to talk about. Penelope was tempted to drop the subject after his odd attack but knew that the situation needed to be discussed.

"Well yes, that and everything else that this eventful night has had in store for us". Using her hands, she tiredly rubbed her eyes, getting rid of any dampness that was once there.

"We kissed Claude". She stated, watching his face like a hawk for any emotion to appear. He didn't initially react, instead just stared back, but Penelope could see his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed and she could tell he was trying to find a way to respond.

"Yes, I am aware of that".

"Is that all you have to say on the matter!" She almost shouted, completely taken back at his attitude. "You also just collapsed nearly, do you want to explain that or are you content with just being aware of it?"

Sitting up, Claude's shoulder's sank slightly and he leaned away from the door. Very slowly he moved his hand to grasp her own and then brought it against his lean chest. Pressing her hand flat against his chest, she felt the muscle underneath the fabric twitch at the contact but she could not feel the heartbeat. His hollow chest was moving up and down with each breath and Penelope could only wonder what his point was.

"The debt I am in, our connection, means that I am bound by your emotions. If I cause you to be upset or in pain with the full knowledge of doing so I will pay the price. You were upset just now, I knew but didn't try to help and suffered the consequences. It is never your fault, only mine". For the first time in a long while Penelope felt as though Claude was being fully open with her. She pulled her hand away, feeling ever so slightly guilty for contributing to his pain and grasped his hand, attempting to pull him up. He allowed her to do so and carefully she walked him to her bed where she gestured for him to sit.

"How often has this happened?"

"It is a rare occurrence". He responded quickly, his eyes guarded by the glint of his glasses from the candles.

"And the kiss?" she asked, hoping he would reply.

"And?"

"What do you mean 'and'? I'm asking what it meant, what it means?" She snapped, giving him a pointed look wishing he would stop avoiding the question.

"Well I assume it means there is an attraction". She nodded in reply and cocked her head forward encouraging him to carry on.

"If I carry on Penelope there is no going back. What I am about to say will change things as you know it, are you prepared for that?" He warned, his golden eyes finally making contact with her own.

"Please do go on". And as the words left her mouth, she felt her heart thump against her chest, secretly wondering if she was indeed prepared.


	19. Chapter 19

Claude stared at her. She was asking for him to tell her the truth and after the months of wanting her, needing her he could finally tell her. He was well aware of how close to losing all control he had in the carriage and he still felt ashamed that he had acted in such away. It was only when he had felt her lips pressed against his own that he realised that she was comfortable with the situation. He had been in the process of reigning back his control when she had kissed him and he had never experienced so much warmth in his life, which was arguably quite long and cold.

Looking at the petite female now, he wondered where to start. Her eyes glistened with anxiety and curiosity causing him to lose focus for a few seconds but he snapped out of it when she shuffled closer to him.

"I resented our debt. When I was first forced to be your friend I had wished for your demise almost every day". His words were cold and Penelope shrunk back, confusion evident in her expression. She had not been expecting such a response and Claude knew this.

"But then as you grew older, your personality became charming rather than annoying as I had always viewed it. Your innocent features never disappeared even as you aged, making you an even more tempting sight. All of a sudden I found myself enjoying your company. Enjoying the sight of you. Then as you aged, as you lost everyone around you I was still in awe of your strength. When your Uncle attacked you, the protectiveness I felt over you was not that of a Demon and his master but of someone who genuinely would burn the world to save you. I had never intended for you to see me in any other way apart from a friend. Instead you have seen me as the monster I am and now something more". He then leaned in, capturing a red curl in between his white gloves.

"You must understand that I am not the romantic, charming villain of a story Penelope. I am a demon, something which craves souls. Particularly yours. You must be mature enough to know that if you want this, should we say relationship, to progress in a more intense way, that I will still be indebted to you but I will not change for you. I cannot be something I am not. I am not a good person, I have killed far many than I could count and I have caused chaos all around me. Are you still certain you want this? I am giving you this opportunity to forget what has happened and move on. But should you choose not to forget, I will be yours entirely and you would be mine".

Penelope bit her lip, obviously thinking hard about her position. Could she possibly forget this? Would she even want to forget it? And although she had often considered Claude as almost human in looks, she had to acknowledged what he said was true. He could scare her but she knew damn well he wouldn't hurt her. The thought of having to marry Lord Davis or anyone similar and settling down, scared her. She didn't want that when she had experienced so much already. With a deep breath, Penelope looked through her lowered lashes and straight into the golden eyes of Claude.

"I think I like the idea of you being mine". She joked and was taken by surprise when he slammed hr into the soft sheets and pressed his lips desperately against her own. She giggled into the kiss and felt her arms being pinned up above her.

"Are you sure?" The usually calm butler panted, his mouth painted into a grin, shark like teeth glinting from behind his lips. Even with such an intimidating sight Penelope couldn't help but smile. She had been with him too long now to let go of such an important opportunity.

"I am positive" and with that, her words were captured by Claude's lips. She felt his hands move swapping her wrists to one whilst his other arm moved down her body. Slowly she felt his had glide gently over the outline of her hip and with a sudden tug forward their bodies were pressed against each other earning a charming blush from the red head. It was only when she moaned into the kiss that the butler pulled back, his eyes dancing with delight at the sight in front of him.

"I believe it is best if you get some sleep. We will discuss the evets of tonight concerning Lucy in detail when you are well rested". As he spoke, Claude untangled himself from the younger girl and chuckled when she gave a disappointed whine. She wasn't sure exactly what she wanted but his body pressed against her own had been an enjoyable sensation. But as she yawned, she concluded that Claude was correct. But he didn't get too far when her legs wrapped around his waist, pulling him back down.

"Can you stay with me tonight?" she asked, tightening her legs slightly a though he would try to run. With a nod he gently ran his hand up her thigh and then in seconds he was out of her hold and clicked his fingers, causing the once lit room to descend into darkness. Once she had crawled into the bed, she felt his weight next to her and snuggled up against his cold body. However just as she began to feel the gentle lull of sleep take over, her eyes snapped open.

"Oh my gosh! We forgot about Victoria" her exclamation caused Claude to pull her closer against him as he tangled his hands into her hair.

"She is fine, I placed her in her quarters and she will wake up tomorrow. Do not fret, now go to sleep". He demanded and without having to be told twice, Penelope allowed sleep to come.

-The Next Day-

Unusually for Penelope it was not the gentle voice or shake of someone to wake her up but rather she awoke on her own accord. The first few minutes of consciousness was filled with the gentle song of birds outside her window. She felt as though she was in heaven, especially being snuggled up. Yet as she opened her eyes, Claude was nowhere to be seen and she was hugging a pillow closely to her chest. Sitting up with a start, Penelope thought for an awful moment that it had all been a dream. Yet she watched as the bedroom door opened with a quiet click and Victoria scurried in, completely oblivious that Penelope was indeed awake.

Grasping the curtains with each hand, Victoria pulled them apart forcefully allowing the sun to filter in painfully, causing Penelope to flinch.

"Time to get u- "Victoria started but stopped as she saw the grimacing girl sat up in bed.

"Oh my apologies my Lady, I had thought you still asleep. On the orders of Mr Faustus, you were allowed to sleep in today but it is now time for one of your lessons". Penelope nodded along, watching as the maid took out a light blue dress and placed it on the bed.

"I can get changed myself Victoria, but thank you. I'm sure you have dinner to be preparing". Penelope said with a small yawn as she clambered out of bed and almost laughed at her reflection. Her hair was in every direction possible and she completely forgot the dress to attend to her nest of a hair.

"But..." Victoria started.

"Go, I am more than capable of dressing". Penelope chuckled and watched as Victoria shot her a thankful expression, knowing that she still had many jobs to do.

When she was washed and dressed, Penelope descended the stairs and the chime of the clock alerted her to how late in the day it was. She then proceeded to go to her study, wondering if she was to see Claude in there but was disappointed to find an empty room.

Instead she was greeted with a piece of paper and Claude's cursive writing scrawled in black upon it. It held a number of tasks for her to attend to and asked that if she cannot achieve them by Luncheon then she must carry on after she has eaten. From the list in front of her Penelope already knew she would be here after lunch, and resigned herself to her fate. Sitting in the large plump chair behind the ornate desk, she focused entirely at the task in hand, trying her hardest not to think of her Butler.

It was an hour later when Victoria came to get her and began to give her condolences for the loss of her cousin. Penelope just thanked her, hoping that she could achieve looking slightly grief stricken, after all she had entirely forgotten about the lie she had made up to escape Lord Davis. It was when she was being served her food that she began to grow impatient over the lack of Claude. He had promised to discuss the most pressing matter of Lucy, and after last night Penelope had been sure to have had at least a greeting. After eating a mouthful of a salad, Penelope dabbed her mouth with a napkin and turned to Victoria.

"Victoria, do you know the whereabouts of Claude? I have not seen in yet".

"He has been in the library, fixing shelves I believe". Penelope gave Victoria a strange look as the shelves in the library had been perfectly suitable last time Penelope had seen them. She then ate her meal hurriedly, and before Victoria good wish her a good day, she was power walking towards the library.

The library was deadly quiet when she entered bar the slight creak of the old fashioned door. There was no sign of any work being done, instead just rows of bookcases left untouched. It was with a sigh that Penelope walked further into the ornate room, and carefully made her way towards her regular seat. After coming to the conclusion that Claude would have made her well aware by this point about his presence, Penelope flopped down on the chair and stared ahead, admiring the outdoors. But the sudden thought of the work she had to complete in the study broke her few seconds of peace. It was with a heavy heart, and a slight frown that Penelope heaved herself off the comfy chair and begrudgingly went to exit the room. As she was walking, the words Claude had said the previous night rang in her head.

Last night when he discussed how dangerous he was, Penelope hadn't exactly disregarded this fact but as she thought about it now, she had been a bit naïve thinking that he was never going to scare her again after such a romantic encounter. She wasn't regretting her decision to be with him, of course not. But she realised that the situation she found herself in was not any normal one.

"I believe you still have work to do". Drawled a voice from behind her causing Penelope to stop in her tracks and look quickly around the library.

"Why were you hiding?" she retorted, ignoring his statement. She had been close to leaving the room entirely and leaned in slightly to try and find the figure of her butler. It was with a sudden breeze that she found herself dragged in the room, the door closed, and her body roughly pressed against it.

"I was not hiding; I was observing". Came the smart retort. His glasses glinted from the light coming through the window and Penelope admired how clear his complexion was, as though his skin had been painted on. She shook her head, causing her flaming hair to bounce softly, and tugged her body out of his strong grasp.

"We have some things to discuss, my work can wait until later". She said simply and made her way back towards her chair. She was stopped however by a gloved hand wrapping around her wrist and spinning her around.

"Are you considering taking back what you said last night?" He asked suddenly, his glasses still shielding his eyes making it hard for Penelope to recognise his current emotions. She shook her head quickly in reply.

"Heavens no! What on earth gave you that idea? I'm here to discuss Lucy. The longer she is left to her own devices, the longer it will take to get on with our lives. And I am growing tired of having attempts made against my life". Penelope then removed her hand from his grip and instead intertwined their fingers and gave a small squeeze. Taking his hand, she pulled him towards the windowsill gesturing him to sit and sat on the chair she had only been in a few minutes ago. She then gave him a look for him to start talking.

"I suppose you would like the details of what occurred at the theatre then?" He asked but didn't wait for an answer before carrying on. "She had been sitting in the audience within distance to yourself making me believe her master may have been present as well. We then met upon the roof of the theatre and you could say that I 'interrogated' her but alas she was not accommodating. After a disagreement, I got rid of her before coming to get you. Unfortunately, she had been unwilling to divulge who her master was so it appears that our first task it to find who this person is".

"And do you have any idea of who her new master is?" Penelope asked her finger tapping her chin as she waited for a reply. Penelope had been aware that her uncle was Lucy's old master but she was unsure why anyone else would want her dead. Claude was just about to open his mouth when the library door opened and Victoria came timidly in.

"A letter from Lord Davis my Lady".


	20. Chapter 20

"A letter from Lord Davis my Lady ".

As Victoria spoke, Claude gave Penelope a pointed look as he inclined his head. Penelope in return gave him a perplexed look and went over to Victoria, taking the letter out of her hand before dismissing her. Delicately Penelope then unfolded the letter, giving a slight huff at the over exaggerated seal, and skimmed over the contents before pulling a face at the subject matter.

"He wants to go on a 'leisurely stroll' around the park. I suppose after my quick escape the other day I will not get away with declining his offer. I will write a reply when I get back in the study". And with these words, Penelope tossed the letter behind her, letting it gently float to the floor. Claude had yet to speak and yet again he cocked his head as though to say something.

"So you were saying?" Penelope asked as she settled herself down into the chair, giving him an expecting look. He was looking directly at the letter and then back at her when it clicked. Jumping from her seat with a start, she gave a large gasp.

"You think it's Lord Davis". She all but shouted, her hair accidently whipping into her face making her quickly remove any that had stuck to her mouth. After a couple of seconds of faffing around she felt a breeze and Claude had moved to pick up the letter.

"I believe that he could be the potential master. Although I am merely basing this off that fact that so far he has been present on a few occasions Lucy has appeared". As he spoke, Claude circled her like a predator before finally stopping right in front of her and pushing her back into the seat. With each arm on the armrests, he leant in causing Penelope to press her back fully into the chair until she could not move back any further.

"Just say the word and I will go". His eyes glowed and Penelope squinted her eyes at him suspiciously. 'Is this just jealously?' she wondered. Realising that he had trapped her, she pushed her body forward until their faces were but a few inches from one another. Just before she could press her lips against his own cold ones she spoke.

"We will not act irrationally; this will take some investigating". She whispered before using her hands and pushing them against her butler's chest, causing him to move back a bit and letting her get up. She swore she had heard him grumble the word tease, but she was far more concerned with how to find out if Lord Davis was indeed behind this.

"What on earth would be a reason for him to do this though? He shouldn't have a reason". She paced up and down the rows of bookcases, totally oblivious to Claude's bored expression.

"Is he any relation?" she asked suddenly, turning around to find Claude gone. A whisper in her ear caught her attention.

"You are on the right tracks; do you remember your cousin? The one you were originally going to marry? He appears to have disappeared soon after your uncle's death, it wouldn't be a farfetched theory to suggest he changed his name, he would be Lord Davis' age as well". The more Claude spoke, the more Penelope found herself considering his theory. She had totally forgot her cousin but it wouldn't surprise her if he wanted revenge. But she still had doubts, from what she could recall of her cousin she had never remembered him having the same features as Lord Davis.

"Are you sure that there is not another reason for you to think this?"

"Another reason?" His expression was one of complete innocence and Penelope almost rolled her eyes at his act. She knew damn well he most likely had another agenda, she would just rather he come out with it.

"You don't like him, do you?" she accused, pointing a finger at his chest which he captured and pulled her forward.

"I don't know what you're talking about. But if you wish to investigate perhaps locating the contract mark would confirm the theory. Judging by the power of Lucy, it would be safe to say it will be in a visible place". He then leaned in until his lips were close to her own.

"Go finish your work". And with that she was on her own, but somehow was grasping onto the letter. She was always amazed at how sneaky Claude could be. When she had made her way back to the study and began writing a reply to Lord Davis' invitation, she felt the cold dread of anxiety climb up her throat. If it was indeed Lord Davis, then to be with him would just increase the chances of her being attacked again. But deep down Penelope knew that Claude would not allow her to get in harm's way so dabbing the pen into the ink well, she signed her name off with a small flare. After sealing it with the family crest, she placed it carefully into the tray on the right side of her desk and began to work again.

Yet as she got towards the end of her work she kept thinking back to how quickly Claude had been willing to put an end to the lord. Her mind then wandered over to how she was supposed to find the contract mark without making a complete fool of herself. She couldn't exactly ask that he strip off in the middle of a park. After all the society she found herself in was obsessed with decorum and manners. And if it turned out that Lord Davis was completely uninvolved in the entire debacle Penelope often called life, she had no idea what her next move was. But she knew that she would do whatever it took to get rid of such a threat, even if it meant having to put herself in danger.

"My Lady, would you like me to deliver the letter for you". Asked Victoria who bustled through the door, her usually neat hair looking as though she had been dragged through a bush backwards.

"Are you ok Victoria? You look swept of your feet!"

"Oh I'm fine My Lady, the weather has taken a turn and I had to bring the washing in before they were ruined". Victoria then went to get the letter off the desk when Penelope held up a hand.

"Do not bother with the letter, I'm sure Claude can handle it. After you have prepared my afternoon meal you may be excused for the rest of the evening". Victoria tried to argue back but Penelope had already begun to shoo her out of the room, closing the door behind her. Turning back, Penelope proceeded to then stare outside, flinching when a bang of lightening rocked the sky. She didn't know if it was a sign that dark things were on their way, but Penelope was already bracing herself for what was yet to come in the week.

"Claude!" she shouted all of a sudden, hoping that the demon butler would be able to hear her wherever he had been residing. When there was no reply, she gave an exasperated sigh.

"What is the point of being able to hear the worms in the soil but not your own-" she cut off mid rant when she spotted the slim body of Claude laid back on her desk chair with a smug smirk. In his gloved hands was the letter she needed to be delivered.

"Please do go on, I believe you were talking about me". He spoke with an air of arrogance that made Penelope tempted to push him out of the chair but she controlled any desires to do so. More so because she lacked the strength, although she wouldn't admit to that.

"Would you please deliver this message for me. Oh and also we have a couple of days before I meet with Lord Davis to do some background checks. If you could, I would be interested to see if there are any newspapers discussing my uncle's death and his son's whereabouts. Oh and if you could find out if Lord Davis' parents are alive it would help me greatly". She was surprised when Claude chuckled in response.

"What? Does this situation amuse you?"

"I have spent the day in your library hoping to find any family documents. It appears as though your parents removed many. Although I wouldn't be surprised if Lucy had done something similar when she had been working here. As for Lord Davis I will bring you what I find tomorrow after a deliver the letter. If that is all, I believe dinner will be ready shortly so if I was you, I would make your way to the dining room". He got off the chair with a cat like elegance and made his way out the door without so much of a second look.

Although Penelope was indeed happy Claude had been investigating, she still felt like their relationship, if that is what it would be called, had hardly changed. She knew he said he would not change for her but she expected him to at least acknowledge that something was different. Shaking her head, she didn't want to doubt her decision, after all she couldn't expect him to be sweeping her off her feet every five minutes for passionate encounters in the shadows of a badly lit corridor. She had to stop romanticising him.

When she had reached the dining room, as Claude had said food was already being served. But she was surprised to see Claude the one serving it.

"Where is Victoria?" She asked as she made her way to sit down, nearly doing so until Claude quickly pulled the seat back for her and pushed her in.

"She has the night off, does she not?"

"Well, yes".

Claude then after serving the food stalked around the long table and took a seat directly opposite her. She gave him an odd look wondering what he was doing but began to eat her food, not wanting it to get cold.

"Claude, when I first met Lord Davis he had said that he knew my father through my cousin. Do you think that he may actually be the cousin or just know the cousin?"

"It appears he knew who you were through your family but I cannot say exactly. Would you tell the person you wanted dead exactly who you were?" He asked and took a sip from the drink in front of her.

"Wait a second, you don't usually drink! And I suppose he could be lying, but we shall have to see".

"I don't drink normally, but I thought you would feel more comfortable if I was to act a bit more human". He avoided eye contact and Penelope almost squealed at his thoughtfulness.

"Oh oh oh, so much for not changing for me Claude. Didn't realise you had such a soft side". She teased between giggles earning a glare from the dark haired man. She then watched with a disgusted expression as the drink he had just taken was spat back into the glass.

"Well you successfully killed that moment". She mumbled, but couldn't help the smile that danced on her lips.

"I apologise for being considerate". He drawled with a bored expression as he placed both elbows on the table and looked at her from over his spectacles. She was tempted to chastise him like her mother used to when she placed her elbows on the table but thought better of it judging by the glare she was receiving.

"I was not aware that you preferred my darker side, I will be sure to accommodate you". And as he spoke the candles which had been in the centre of the room flickered so violently that they blew out one by one until the only thing that lit the room was the odd flash of lightening from the tall windows that painted the wall. When a particular crash of lightning lit the room, Claude had all but disappeared and Penelope slowly stood from her seat.

"I was only teasing Claude, let's not play this game. I'm well aware that you are not soft". She spoke calmly hoping he wouldn't detect her growing anxiety. When he failed to make his presence known, she moved well away from her seat and used the table to help her navigate the way out. She was stopped however when a sudden bang of lightning vibrated on the thin glass of the window and illuminated Claude's figure in front of her. She hardly had a chance to scream when she found herself on the table with him all but on top of her. She felt his cold breath against his neck before being replaced by his lips. Her heart was hammering against her chest and she was sure with his hearing that it was deafening. A sharp sting made her flinch and she realised he had bitten her. But the sting was soon replaced with pleasure as he sucked on the bruised skin in an almost apologetic manner.

His head moved lower and she felt his tongue run gently across her jugular and the feeling of complete helplessness and pleasure was confusing. It was like a spider and a fly, and right now she knew she was defiantly the fly. His head lowered further and she felt a tug on her light blue dress as his hand managed to reveal her shoulder. He continued his act and in her haze she wondered how bad the damage was to her skin. It was another crash of thunder followed by a sheet of lightening that allowed her to see what he was doing and she gave a cry of alarm when his usually pale lips were painted with her own red blood. Her cry was silenced almost instantaneously when his lips smashed against hers and a predatorily like growl drowned out any other sound. She could taste the metallic tang of her blood and although she didn't mind the taste of blood she was amazed at how enjoyable it obviously was to Claude.

His gloved hands suddenly grasped her hands, pinning them behind her head and then disappeared. Yet she didn't move them from the position he had placed them in, knowing damn well he wouldn't play about with her. She felt his hands grasp her dress and pull it up slightly, causing her to blush as red as her hair and for her once still hands shot down in instinct. The lighting flashed again and she saw a playful smirk on her butler's face and with a one hand he gestured for her to move her own. When she did what she was told, begrudgingly, he then grasped her thighs roughly and dragged her so that her legs were dangling off the table. He had pressed his body against her own and she felt if any more blood rushed to her face it was likely to explode. When he then moved closer so their hips were touching the candles lit up and she flinched at the unexpected light.

His tongue slowly ran across his blood stained lips and she noticed his glasses were no longer on. She moved her hand and felt the spot he had bitten and was shocked to find blood still trickling from the wound.

"I didn't realise you were a vampire as well". She rasped, her throat dry all of a sudden. She then watched as he pulled of a glove using his teeth, shooed her hand away and after sticking his finger in his mouth, proceeded to rub it over the wound. As he did, her skin felt warm and observed as Claude pulled back his now bloody finger and licked it clean. He then carefully removed a handkerchief from his top pocket and wiped away any blood which had stained her lips.

"I believe you wouldn't want me to change anyway". He murmured and with that he sorted her dress out and wrapped his hands around her hips, pulled her off the table and then went to clear the forgotten meal away.

She grinned as he sorted himself out and blushed when she accidently got a glimpse of something. Feeling overly warm she went to head out the room when the loud clock chimed signifying how late it was.

"That time already!" She exclaimed to herself and with one last look at Claude who now had his back to her she ran up the stairs, hoping to inspect the damage.


	21. Chapter 21

A couple of days had past by and to Penelope's knowledge Claude had not been able to find any considerable information on Lord Davis. From what he had found, Lord Davis' parents were apparently not currently in England but living elsewhere on family business. Something that Penelope felt was quite suspicious. After spending the days reading family documents and newspapers, Penelope had felt disappointed when she had not been able to find anything of considerable use. Her cousin had not been mentioned once on the newspapers regarding her uncle's death causing her to wonder if he was really involved in this fiasco.

The day had finally arrived to spend the day with Lord Davis and to say that Penelope was nervous was an understatement. She had absolutely no idea how to find the contract mark, considering he would most likely be wearing layers of elaborate clothing, much of it too fancy for Penelope's liking. Penelope was amazed at how quickly her opinion of Lord Davis had been changing. She supposed she had been easily charmed when she first met him as she had not been in the company of someone like him before. But the more she thought of his dramatic outbursts and his almost fake enthusiasm, he began to remind her of the theatrical Viscount Druit rather than a charismatic prince which he had originally came across as.

It was with a sigh that Penelope glanced at her reflection, observing the now fading bruises that littered her neck and collarbone. For the past days she had been wearing scarves and high collared gowns, even going as far as to reject Victoria's assistance in getting change. With her brush in one hand, Penelope brushed her curls hurriedly watching them bounce back with every stroke. After sorting her hair, she spent a few minutes searching for a different high collard dress which would be acceptable to go out in. Yet the one she felt was the most appropriate was unfortunately the one with a corset, meaning that she would definitely need assistance.

The dress was mostly black, with the exception of the collar and the cuffs being a cream colour. The corset was elaborate but not too decorative, with a lace pattern that ran across the main section. The back of the corset was embellished with lace and a black silk ribbon. All in all, it was a lovely dress which would hopefully not look too ostentatious when compared to Lord Davis, who Penelope was sure would out dress her.

After debating if it was really worth it, Penelope bit her lip knowing that if Victoria would help she would most defiantly see the marks that littered her porcelain skin. Dressing as much as possible without any assistance, Penelope made up her mind. Without giving her a chance to start doubting her decision on the matter, Penelope whispered her butler's name hoping that he would come to her rescue.

It did not take long for Claude to show up and Penelope watched silently as he gave her an expectant look. His golden eyes flashed somewhat at her state of undress and she was positive a ghost of a smirk had flickered on his normally bored face. Without any words, Penelope gestured to the corset and did not wait long to feel the ribbons being slowly tightened behind her.

"Please can you make them tight, but not too tight? I do not wish to faint". She said softly, her hands pulling back her hair to stop it from getting in the way. Claude did not respond, instead carried on and it was with one final tug that he let go and stepped back, almost admiring her. She then turned to face him giving him a smile, before moving to her bed to get her stockings and shoes on.

"Thank you Claude, I'm sure I can sort myself out now". Penelope spoke whilst pulling up her long white stocking, her eyes fixated on the task at hand. She almost gave a cry of fright when Claude was suddenly on his knees in front of her and shooed her hands away.

"I'm sure you can". Was his reply and with that he pulled up her skirts, taking her slim leg in his gloved hands before putting the stoking on. Penelope was blushing yet remained composed, only looking away when she felt awkward. Once her shoes were on, he pulled her skirts down, using his hands to smooth them down. Yet as he did so, his hands deliberately dragged over her thighs, taking his time. She was starting to feel warm when he all of a sudden completely removed himself and was pulling her up.

"Your breakfast has been prepared, after you have finished the carriage will be waiting". She watched him leave the room with a small bow and shook her head to clear her thoughts. At times he acted like nothing had happened between them and other times he acted with such passion that it almost frightened her. But she was well aware that he was still considered her butler in society and he couldn't exactly start acting as her lover all of a sudden, especially with Victoria in the household. But she did wish that when they were in private he would act more relaxed. Picking up her long skirts, she made her way out of the bedroom and to the dining room.

Her breakfast did not take too long to eat and Penelope was subjected to a bombardment of questions from Victoria. All of them about Lord Davis. Yet Penelope had been patient with the questions making sure to answer them all calmly and politely. After all she would rather Victoria believe that Lord Davis was her love interest rather than Claude. With the ever present threat of Lucy hanging above her head, the idea of her relationship with Claude reaching Lucy was almost too awful to imagine.

It did not take long to get into the carriage and be on her way. She had told Victoria that Claude was accompanying her as they had to go to her dressmakers in the evening for measurements. Realistically it was so Claude could observe and protect her if needs be. As she sat back in the carriage, she watched Claude who was obviously in deep thought. His gloved finger traced over his pale lips casually and his eyes had almost clouded over. She allowed herself to admire him but gave a squeak when he gave a small cough.

"Enjoying yourself?" Came the smug retort, causing Penelope to fold her arms around her waist and look out the window, grumbling to herself. It was not long when the park was in sight and Penelope felt a wave of anxiety crush her chest. Claude appeared to have noticed as she felt her arms being pulled apart and a colder hand touch her own. Looking at the now gloveless hand, she gave it a squeeze as though to say thank you.

"You do not have to endure his company for long, just compose yourself and act normal. Do not think too much about the contract mark, I'm sure there will be another opportunity to locate it in the future". Claude's calm voice soothed Penelope and she nodded before taking a deep breath. Taking her hand out if his, she watched as he placed the glove back on and only a few minutes later the carriage came to a halt outside the park. As she looked out the window, it was almost instantaneously when she spotted Lord Davis. He was stood with a large smile across his face, a few young women around him giggling flirty at something he had said. In one of his hands was a bouquet of brightly coloured flowers. Penelope was tempted to forget the who thing when she swore softly as Lord Davis made eye contact with her. With an overly enthusiastic smile, she awkwardly waved at him and then looked back to Claude.

"I could kill Lucy". Penelope said, still wearing her smile and Claude who was more so in the shadows than herself chuckled. "I'm starting to think that this is part of her plan, to kill me through charm".

"I'm sure you will have a lovely time". Came the amused reply and seconds later Claude was out of the carriage and opening the door for her. He was close to offering her his hand when a sudden flash of dark blue zoomed by. Claude's gloved hand was replaced with a grey coloured glove and a mop of golden curls.

"Ah! My Lady! How elegant you look". She smiled at Lord Davis and timidly accepted his hand. She was almost dragged off the carriage by his enthusiasm and she swore she heard Claude laughing from the side of her. Behind Lord Davis was a small entourage of women who were now looking at her as though she had committed a crime.

"Thank you Lord Davis. You are too kind". Penelope said as she took the flowers which had been forcefully pushed towards her as she tried to sort out her dress. As Lord Davis began to escort Penelope through the crowd into the park, she managed to turn around and mouth to Claude a silent plea which he responded to with a small wave. His mocking was not appreciated and the temptation to curse him was high but her public appearance currently meant more to her. Claude went to stand with Lord Davis' butler who did not respond apart from a small tip of his head. Penelope guessed they would be following from a distance, allowing Claude to distract the butler if needs be. The silence between Penelope and Lord Davis did not last even thirty seconds before it was broken.

"I do hope you are feeling better my Lady, you left in such a hurry last time that I worried for you the whole night. In fact, I could not sleep!" As he spoke, the young Lord gestured wildly with his free hand as his right hand was still clasped around her own delicate one. With a small tug, she managed to get free and then looped her arm through his, whilst gently smiling hoping that her awkwardness would not be felt.

"I am recovering My Lord; I do apologise if my sudden leave was troubling. I had not wished to disturb your sleep". He responded with a sharp bark of laughter causing Penelope to flinch and allow her confusion to flicker briefly across her face.

"There is no need for apologies! I must say I enjoy your company terribly, it is such a glorious day as well for this walk. I am surprised as to why your butler has accompanied you and not your maid, but I suppose times are changing. I would have thought for a girl of your age that when being courted, a maid is often present to observe the situation". The moment Penelope heard the word 'courted' the flowers she had been holding slipped through her fingers and her eyes grew wide. She was about to pick the flowers up when Lord Davis gave a small tut and picked them up for her.

"Are you quite alright? You appear to be quiet today?" He asked, handing the flowers back to her, his eyes slightly narrowed with suspicion.

"I was not aware that I was currently being courted". She responded, allowing her confusion to make itself known.

"Ah my poor dear! I perhaps should have made my intentions a little more obvious. However, with your lack of father I had no one to ask permission from so as a man, I saw it as my duty to take matters into my own hands. I hope you are not offended, but I believe that this courtship is a brilliant idea, for both of us". He had stopped walking when they reached the large pond, his arm still interlinked with her own and he used his free hand to catch a single curl which had freed itself from her bun. She could not comprehend his logic and although every instinct told her to tell him to sod off she realised that she had reached a very important moment. If she was to carry on with a courtship, then she would have far more access to discovering any relation to Lucy. She could either be placing herself in more danger or subjecting herself to a debacle of a courtship for no reason. Gritting her teeth and allowing a smile to paint her lips, she looked him straight in the eye.

"Of course my Lord. How very considerate of you. I do after all need a guidance of a man". She couldn't believe what she was saying but knew it was the right thing when a beaming grin appeared Lord Davis' face. The next few minutes was a mix of theatrics and over enthusiasm as he spoke about how their next meetings would go. Penelope in the meantime decided that it was a good time to try and find the contract mark. She proceeded to nod to his words, allowing him to soliloquise as she subtly led him towards the trees, out of the way of casual walkers. Yet as she turned to see where Claude and the Lord's butler had gone, they were nowhere in sight. As she turned her head back she felt her breath get caught in her throat. As they walked past a bench, there sat with a serene expression was Lucy. Her straight dark hair perfectly framing her pale face. Lord Davis was still talking, not showing a single bit of interest at the woman sat on the bench. The idea of going into the cover of the trees had now become an alarming notion for Penelope, so she was thankful when Lord Davis pulled her along gently towards the pond again.

She couldn't help but look back at the bench and her heart thumped painfully in her chest when she noticed that no one was longer inhabiting it. It wasn't long after that when she spotted Claude and Lord Davis' butler talking not far from them. Knowing that he must had sensed Lucy's presence, she was shocked to see him not even glance in her direction. Deciding that she should not stay out much longer, Penelope came to a conclusion that she was going to take a chance.

"My Lord! What a beautiful jacket you are wearing, I must say I am quite impressed. Would you allow me to see your shirt sleeves, for the ends are made of such an elegant lace". As she spoke, her arm unhooked his and gently stroked his arm, as though she was admiring the fabric. When her hand got to the bottom of the sleeve, she was about to tug it up when she felt his gloved hand stop her.

"Ah my Lady! Perhaps not in public, but I must agree with your observations. I do have an excellent taste after all". He spoke more confidently towards the end but his initial response had been somewhat nervous. Knowing that she was now pushing her look, she bit her lip before making another attempt. She was still paranoid that after seeing Lucy it could be a matter of time for another appearance.

"Of course my Lord, but I am in awe of such fantastic fabric. And your waistcoat, it's so decorative, the gold goes well with the navy. Your collar as well, you are surely the most fashionable man in this park right now". She had gone to touch the waistcoat when his hand shot out, grasping hers in a crushing grip. She had only managed to barely touch the waistcoat and she was slightly perplexed at how hard it felt, as though he had a thick layer underneath.

"I am beyond happy that you find my appearance so wonderful, but… this is not the time…". His usual joyful behaviour had suddenly disappeared and she saw a glimmer of defensiveness in his eyes. His hand slowly released the pressure on her own and he brought it up against his lips, pressing a gentle kiss against her gloved hands. She noticed how his eyes never left her own and there was something almost unsettling about his stare.

"Come now, I believe I have kept your company long enough. I do believe we have run out of time. But I am so very flattered from your compliments. They touch my very soul. If you would do me the pleasure, I would be over joyed to have you for afternoon tea at my manor house this week. It would also be a far more… private place for you to admire my clothes". He added a wink as he spoke and Penelope felt herself reel back but forced the smile upon her face.

"I would love to my Lord, thank you for such a wonderful day". She accepted his invitation believing it to be a great opportunity for her to investigate further. But as she was escorted back, she started to conclude that Lord Davis could very well be her cousin. His jumpy nature at the idea of his sleeves being shown and the presence of Lucy all added up. But still she felt some doubt. She had been rather forward with the intimacy and felt rather rude for doing so. She would dislike someone doing the same to her so she was not surprised if he was more taken back or offended.

She had reached the carriages when she saw Lord Davis butler waiting expectantly for him. However, Claude or her carriage were nowhere in sight.

"Where is Lady Penelope's butler, Dean?" Lord Davis asked, pulling his extravagant coat around him. Dean gave him a bored look before opening the carriage door.

"I believe the Lady's butler had to go and find their carriage. You have an appointment my Lord, so you must hurry". Penelope watched as Lord Davis stared in silence before snapping out of his thoughts.

"Ah my apologies, I must leave you but I shouldn't think your butler will be too long. I will send a written invitation soon. I leave you with a kiss, farewell my Lady". And with a small kiss to the hand he was in the carriage and gone within a blink of an eye. Leaving Penelope on her own. Yet as the carriage pulled away, there stood on the opposite side of the pavement was the figure of Lucy, a cream coloured umbrella in one hand to shield her from the sun. She was staring directly at Penelope and as they made eye contact Penelope felt anger burning throughout her.

Her eyes filled up with harsh tears as she stared into her family's murderers' eyes. She had no Claude to defend her now and yet even at her most vulnerable moment, she did not shrink back. Lucy delicately raised a hand to wave and then began to saunter away, her dark skirts trailing across the unclean cobbled floors. All sensible thoughts had left her and Penelope didn't even realise she had dropped the flowers into a small puddle on the floor. Grabbing her skirts, Penelope ran as fast as she could, any thought of public appearance leaving her head. She had no Claude to stop her. It was just her and Lucy. Finally.

Lucy hardly sped up in her pace but Penelope felt as though each time she would get close, Lucy would disappear and reappear further into the crowds. Wherever Lucy was leading her it was now starting to break away from the usual high class end of the shops and more into the dark murky waters of the small streets and alleyways. The air was far mistier and she was positive the temperature had dropped. The cobbled streets appeared to get dirtier and Penelope just hoped this game of cat and mouse would come to an end soon. She even accidently bumped into a young man who stuttered an apology but she payed little notice as she carried on, shouting a quick apology behind her.

She chased and chased the figure of Lucy as it weaved in and out of crowds. Penelope's face was wet from fallen tears and her hair whipped her tender skin as it escaped the bun. She probably looked mad but all she could think of was confronting the monster who wished her dead. She had so many questions and for the first time she was not afraid of dying. She was more concerned with the truth.

She finally stopped running when she saw Lucy turn down an alleyway. Stopping in her tracks, Penelope closed her eyes and felt a few more tears stream down her cold face. She could easily turn back and run to Claude or she could turn down the alleyway and face potential death. The answer would usually be easy but Penelope found herself turning the corner, the dark alleyway in her sights.


	22. Chapter 22

There was no one there. The alleyway was completely and utterly abandoned. The only sound was the harsh breath of Penelope who was grasping her waist, regretting her corset. She was shocked to say the least that Lucy had disappeared and after her initial anger sizzled down, she composed herself. She made sure not to walk that far into the alleyway, and continued to glance around.

"You were just messing with me. weren't you?" She accused the emptiness, her voice echoing. There was no reply and Penelope suddenly felt very foolish. She had run off to some unknown place chasing the very thing that wanted her dead. And of course she had not told Claude. Not really knowing what to do with herself, Penelope rubbed her eyes tiredly.

"I don't know what I ever did Lucy to deserve so much contempt from yourself, but I wish we could have a civil conversation". She didn't know if Lucy could hear her but when she turned around, there came a thump from directly behind her. She stood completely still, her eyes wide and her heart pounding. With whatever courage she could muster she slowly turned and was confused to see no one there. But as she went to take a step forward her foot collided with an object. There sat in front of her was an old, worn looking book. A book that Penelope had not seen for years.

She kept her eyes focused on the alleyway as she bent down, and quickly snatched the book from the dirty floor. Walking backwards until she was completely out of the alley, she finally looked down at the book in her hands. On the cover in a slightly faded cursive gold was the words 'Fairy folklore'. Lucy had read the book to her many times, as had her mother. For some reason Penelope had never really known it had gone missing and seeing it in her hands brought back a flood of memories. She did not know why on earth she had been given it back, although she highly doubted it was from the kindness of Lucy's heart but she was secretly happy to see it.

Her reminiscing though did not last long when she suddenly realised she was still in the middle of god knows where and no doubt Claude would be ready to give her a telling off she would never forget. However, she was already planning on a retort considering he had disappeared himself. Knowing that she should just suffer the consequences and say his name, she begrudgingly called out to him, making a few passers-by give her perplexed looks.

But after five minutes of waiting, her butler was nowhere in sight. She started to worry and very slowly attempted to make her way back, keeping her head low and focusing on the task at hand. She had somehow managed to get onto the main high streets when she bumped into someone. She went to apologise when her eyes connected with golden ones.

"Claude!" She exclaimed, holding back the desire to jump into his arms. Yet he showed nowhere near as the same enthusiasm towards seeing her. Instead he looked rather cross.

"The carriage is this way". He spoke through gritted teeth and Penelope lowered her eyes, knowing damn well that the carriage journey would be the complete opposite of fun. When she reached the carriage, she was surprised at how dark it had gone and silently wondered how long she herself had been gone. She kept the book pressed against her chest and as she sat in the carriage, it was not long until she was greeted by Claude's presence. The carriage began its journey and Penelope took a deep breath.

"Before you start-". She was cut off when she felt a hand clamp over her mouth. His eyes were fixated on the book against her chest and he used the other hand to pull it out of her grip. She did not fight back but instead allowed him to continue, her curiosity getting the better of her. Although she did wish he would remove his hand from her mouth.

Very carefully Claude inspected the book and she watched with large eyes as it burst into flames. The flames consumed the book and suddenly the book began to melt rather than turn to ash, the dark grotesque liquid oozing between Claude's once white gloves. As it melted it sounded as though it was screaming, slowly becoming smoke instead of a liquid. The dark thick smoke was all consuming and Penelope felt her eyes water, coughing into Claude's hand. Yet before she could feel light headed, the smoke disappeared as though it was never there and Claude released her from his hold. She coughed for a long time, her eyes watering painfully. When she had regained her senses she could only open and close her mouth like a startled fish.

"Care to explain?" She finally managed to state.

"It was a charm". Was his only reply.

"A charm? Wow that has answered all my questions, I am very thankful you put that to rest". Her voice dripped of sarcasm and she didn't care when his eyes narrowed.

"They are used as a protection against demons. It makes the person who owns the book completely invisible to the demon. The demon will not be able to sense them, hear them, or smell them from afar". As he spoke, Penelope's eyes widened as she started to realise why Claude had not come to her rescue or even looked remotely concerned in the park when Lucy was present. But then she gave him a confused look.

"But I have always had that book, why have you only told me now? And why did you destroy it, surely it wasn't that dangerous?"

"That was not your book, well not your original copy anyway. The one you had just been given was disguised as something you are drawn to. Charms are sometimes used by others discreetly when they are trying to protect someone, that's why they are designed to be personal. As for why I destroyed it, I would have thought that obvious. For at least an hour I have been unable to detect you". As he spoke his eyes were fixed on her own and Penelope couldn't quite decide if he was relieved to have her back or angry that she had been gone. She nodded her head in response feeling as though she was in some bizarre dream. In one day she had effectively agreed to a courtship, failed at locating a contract mark and followed the one person who seemed hell-bent on killing her.

"I believe you have some explaining to do yourself?" Claude asked, his voice still tight and it took Penelope a couple of seconds to break from her thoughts. She was tired of the entire situation and she leant back into her seat, wondering how much she should tell him. After all he would most likely be annoyed at the idea that she chased after Lucy. Looking back, Penelope knew damn well that it was a ludicrous decision on her part but the idea that she had been able to finally discuss the matter with Lucy had completely removed whatever sense of sanity she had. It was with a sigh that she began to talk once again.

"When we were at the park, I had unfortunately spotted Lucy but I thought you were aware of the situation. After I said goodbye to Lord Davis, which I will discuss that situation later, I had seen her again". She stopped talking but Claude wasn't letting her get away with letting the situation drop.

"And then? You followed her didn't you?" He accused, his eyes darkening and Penelope audibly gulped.

"Well yes, but we were in a public place. And I know it was a stupid decision but I am so exasperated with this entire situation Claude! She killed those who I love and now she obviously wants me dead as well. How do you want me to respond? I think I've coped with the situation quite well so far. I ran after her because I wanted answers and not theatrics which I have no doubt will soon come. There is a storm coming Claude, and I fear that it will not go well for myself. I just want this entire farce to be over! And don't even start about the Lord Davis situation because I can't decide whether I should laugh or cry. And I could very well ask you where you had gone? I mean if you couldn't sense me that should have been a warning sign. You did leave me". As she ranted her hands flailed around, he frustration finally letting itself known. All the while Claude had sat there with his arms folded. When she finished, he gave her a look.

"I am glad you acknowledge your stupidity". Claude stated simply, ignoring everything else she had said. And that was when Penelope snapped. Before she knew what she was doing her hand had already collided with his cheek leaving a stinging sensation in its wake. The impact caused Claude's head to turn and his usually neat hair to fall out of place, partially covering his glasses. Penelope quickly looked out of the window and when the carriage came to halt she realised they were home. Turning back to Claude who had not moved, she glared harshly.

"A little bit of sympathy would have been appreciated Claude. I believe that is far better than arrogance. Perhaps I expected too much from you". And with that she stormed out of the carriage, and ran to the house. The minute she had gone through the doors, Victoria had been there and tried to talk but Penelope ignored her, instead walking straight up the stairs.

She was completely exasperated at everything. She couldn't decide what she wanted to do the most, cry or scream. Everything was too much. The Lucy situation, the courtship with Lord Davis and the odd relationship with Claude. She allowed herself to be annoyed at her situation and in her current state of mind didn't give a damn about hitting him. In her eyes he had deserved it, she could admit what he said was true but it wasn't something she exactly wanted to hear. As she burst through her room, she grabbed her vanity chair and shoved it under the doorknob, effectively locking herself in.

She then proceeded to hastily untie the corset from behind her, wiggling free of it when it was loose enough to get out and then threw her clothes angrily to the ground. She then shoved on her nightwear and threw her body onto the bed so she was facing the ceiling. Her eyes watered painfully as she started to realise that perhaps being in love with a demon wasn't right. He would never be able to act like a human and although she had defiantly seen him be compassionate, it was becoming clearer that he was not always going to act like that. A knock on the door made her head snap up and Victoria's voice came through asking if she was alright.

Her initial rage was decreasing steadily and the tears were starting to stream down her face. She was tempted to tell Victoria to bugger off and leave her to wallow in her misery on her own but she was starting to crave comfort. Something which she was obviously not going to get from Claude. Climbing to her feet, she wiped her tears and removed the chair from the door. She had absolutely no idea what on earth she was going to say to Victoria, maybe tell her she was missing her parents which was somewhat true. Opening the door, she narrowed her sore eyes when there was no one there. Very slowly her eyes got wider as she started to think of when Claude could impersonate others. Without turning around, she moved back and closed the door, her back arching slightly at how cold the room now felt.

"I would rather we leave the theatrics till another time". She whispered, her voice cracking towards the end. She turned her head and was not surprised to see the long figure of Claude stood silent at her window.

"I believe we had not finished our conversation". Penelope could hear the cold tone in his voice and flinched, wondering if there was any point trying to get away.

"Well I think it's over, so if you will be kind enough to leave me alone then I would very grateful". She went to open the door when she found herself suddenly on her bed. Looking up at him, he had no red mark on his face and his hair was back to the state it once had been.

"To answer your question on my whereabouts, I had been looking for the carriage which had been told by someone to wait elsewhere. Of course I was then suspicious. However, I had misjudged your maturity and had not expected you to run away". Penelope only glared at him, not wanting to have to hear him ranting about her stupidity. She went to move but was forced back down roughly.

"Did you even think about what you were doing or did you let your heart rule your head?" He snapped allowing Penelope to finally observe his anger at the situation.

"Well at least I have a heart! Apologies for being human" She replied childishly as her hand clenched around the bedsheets.

"If having a heart means behaving stupidly I am quite content with not having one. So what was your plan when you ran after her? Would you have talked it through?" He mocked, and his teeth appeared to get ever so sharper. Penelope in return went to move again and gave a cry of frustration when he shoved her back.

"ok ok ok, I was wrong! There! Are you happy now? I should not have done it. Now get off me and leave me alone". She shouted her eyes watering again. She was surprised when he went away from her and Penelope watched tearfully as he was about to leave the room.

"You know Claude, all I wanted was a bit of sympathy. A bit of comfort. Was that really too much to ask?"

"You are asking a demon". Was his only reply and before she could blink he had left the room. Her mouth opened and closed for a while but she was only able to let out a sob. She had no idea what to do. The only think she could think of doing was to sleep and hope for her sake she would wake up from the nightmare which was her life.


	23. Chapter 23

Claude was stood on the roof; his hair being battered by the now wild wind. The pain in his chest was a dull throb but even with the howling wind, he could hear Penelope's sobs echoing in his ears. In a rare show of tiredness, Claude allowed himself to sit down, letting his legs dangle off the roof and held his head in his hands. He knew damn well he should have acted better towards her but he had been so worried for her when he had been unable to detect her at the park. To find out that she had knowingly put herself in danger had angered him. But it was the vulnerability she had made him feel that angered him more. He was a demon, a cold unfeeling creature and yet this girl had made him feel completely and utterly consumed by anxiety. Even in the past with his other masters, he had never been so concerned about another.

Hearing her cry beneath him sent another dull throb to his chest and he felt a brief relief when cold rain began to pour down, thrashing his face. Swallowing his pride, he knew that he had to try and salvage the situation. His selfish worrying had unintentionally strained their relationship and he wasn't prepared to give that up. He was well aware that he had yet to show her how much he really cared but even he would be the first to admit, tenderness wasn't a part of his usually cold persona. A flash of lighting suddenly lit up the sky and when it disappeared so had Claude.

He walked carefully down the dark corridor, grateful that Victoria had taken his advice and retired early. It wasn't long when he had reached her room and he could hear small sniffles which were amplified by his hearing. He didn't even knock and entered the room quietly.

"Have you come with a list of complaints about myself." She snapped, her voice half muffled by the pillow that she was hugging.

"I don't have that list on me at the moment". He joked dryly as he walked closer towards her bed. Penelope glanced up, pouting angrily at him and then gave him a perplexed expression.

"Why are you soaked through?"

"I was outside". He answered plainly, taking off his jacket slowly and allowing it to hang on her chair. He could have easily dried his entire body but decided that his trickery may not be appreciated. She didn't reply and just watched him and he began to undress until he was only in his shirt and trousers. She made a disgruntled sound when he moved the bedcovers and got in.

"What are you doing?" She asked. She still looked angry but didn't move away from him, instead choosing to hug the pillow tighter.

"I was under the impression you wanted comfort". He took off his glasses, wiping them down and put them gently on the bedside table. Penelope just stared at him like he was insane and gave a sharp laugh.

"Well I could have done with it earlier". She grumbled. Claude knew that he would most likely have to grovel as she was obviously in a mood with him, not that he blamed her. The fact that she hadn't told him to go away though had made him confident she was willing to resolve the situation.

"Perhaps I did not handle earlier on as well as I could. For that I apologise". He then took off his gloves and then carefully tugged the pillow away from her. In response she looked as though she would pull back but resigned herself to the fact that she wouldn't win anyway. When he had taken the pillow off her, he gestured for her to move closer to him which she did but very timidly, as though she was forcing herself to do so.

"I apologise for my actions and I should have not allowed my annoyance and worry to get the better of me". His second apology seemed to gain a far better reaction as she moved closer to him.

"I apologise for hitting you and running away". She said quietly, her voice highlighting how tired she really was. In response he ran a glove free hand through her hair and wrapped his other arm around her waist pulling her tightly against his own. They spent a few minutes in a comfortable silence but it was then broken by Penelope, who had sat up and adjusted the cream coloured night gown which had become creased from her previous position.

"I sometimes feel as though you find me a burden". She murmured, allowing her fears to slowly resurface. Claude in reply squeezed her hip and tilted her head to himself, allowing her to see directly into his eyes. She had often found his eyes the most beautiful thing about him. Their unusual golden tinge was almost as though it was a doorway to his soul and yet they could be so guarded. But on this occasion they were no guards merely openness, as though he was letting her see himself.

"What gives you that idea?"

"I feel like I have been reminded today how unhuman you are. I'm starting to think the debt is the only thing that makes you feel anything towards me". As she spoke her eyes glazed over and flickered briefly to his lips but Claude could see her worries clearly.

"I am a demon and do indeed lack some human traits and I do allow my more…. Dominant traits to take over at times. However, I do hope you will stop doubting my feelings for you. I can assure you Penelope if I felt like you were a burden you would be more than aware. I can't promise that this will be easy for us both, I am far older than yourself and have never spent my time considering other people's feelings. I cannot change my ways overnight". As he spoke Penelope gave a sigh and moved her head.

"I don't expect a change of your entire personality". She replied and Claude was starting to notice her body language was changing, as though she was becoming more relaxed. "I suppose this will never be a normal relationship". She laughed lightly and the felt her head get tilted up and his lips press against her own. She tenderly kissed back and then pulled apart.

"We also have to discuss the Lord Davis situation. I think the whole drama of today has side tracked our original goal". He nodded in reply but his eyes kept flickering from her eyes to her mouth. She gave a surprised squeak when she suddenly found herself straddling him, his lips tilted into a smirk.

"Please do go on".

"Is this your idea of comfort?" she asked tiredly with a raised eyebrow. He in reply sat up further so he was resting on his elbows and raised an eyebrow in response.

"Well…. As I was saying, Lord Davis, he seems to be under the impression we are courting. I have only agreed to this as I feel it would help us get closer to the truth. He did seem odd about the touching but to be honest I feel like that reaction is not too unusual. He said that he would be inviting me to his manor and I think that it would give us a great opportunity to see if he is the master of Lucy. I am sure you would be able to sense if she has been there so I'm hoping we will finally get the bottom of this mystery soon". As she spoke, she stretched her arms up in the air and allowed her back too arch. She was extremely tired from the day's events but was feeling more content than before.

"You made a good decision". Was his only reply and Penelope inclined her head in thanks. She then leant forward and carefully touched his cheek, starting to feel guilty for her earlier actions. Now that she had calmed down, she felt embarrassed at her reaction but a part of her still felt justified in being annoyed at him. He captured her hand and pulled her so she was flush against him.

"It didn't hurt". He murmured with a small smile. Penelope nodded and whispered a quiet apology, not bothered that it didn't hurt as she still thought she shouldn't have done it. As she stared into his golden eyes she realised that although there were downsides to being with a demon she was able to be herself around him, in the strict Victorian society she found herself in she was sure that her behaviour would be condemned. Perhaps being with a demon was liberating she thought, as it may be hard but at least she could get angry with him and not be restrained by social constructs. It wasn't as though they were normal.

With a burst of confidence, she pressed her lips against his own and felt him respond. It was not a rough or desperate kiss, it was gentle. His tongue ran across her bottom lip and she allowed him to deepen the kiss. She may have not entirely forgotten everything that had happened and her anger, but she knew there was no point in staying angry. Her life was far too short for that. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she allowed her small hand to run softly through his dark thick hair, tightening ever so slightly when he moaned into the kiss. She didn't know how close they were to finding the truth about Lucy but she felt as though she was allowing it to dictate her life.

As she felt his arms wrap around her waist she started to think seriously about her life. She had allowed everything to get to her and forgot about the more important things. And right now the most important thing to her was Claude. He may have hurt her feelings; he may act like the cold monster he truly is but she had neglected to think about her own feelings for him. He was her everything. Her heart beat for him. He was all she had and she didn't want anymore. Just him.

She felt herself go light headed and breathed in a sharp breath of air. She forgot sometimes that he didn't really need to breathe. No sooner had she got her breath back that he had taken it away again by pulling her in for another kiss. The gentleness had slowly faded and the passion was starting to rise. She smiled into the kiss and with a sharp tug pulled back his head using his hair. His eyes glowed dangerously but she only smirked in reply. Moving herself so she was pressed against him she teasingly traced his bottom lip with her own mouth, pulling his head back when he tried to make more contact. Her teasing was cut short when he flipped them over and claimed her lips as his own.

A sudden crash of lighting lit the dimly lit room and the thunder which followed was almost deafening. Pulling back Claude gave her a look.

"You were right about a storm coming Penelope, although this is far more literal than the metaphor you painted". She rolled her eyes in reply and was about to say something when he cut her off. His mouth made its way down her neck and carried on until he was just below her collarbone. He was about to make contact with her skin but another burst of thunder distracted them.

"Do you think it's a sign?" she whispered and Claude in response moved off her. He had been a little selfish in his attempt at comforting her and decided to give he a rest.

"I think it is just a storm and nothing more. Are you feeling better?" Claude asked as he moved so he was behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"I'm feeling better thanks. Do you think this storm will last long?" She asked, her words meaning something different entirely. Claude gave her a thoughtful glance.

"All storms must end Penelope; I believe this one should be at its end soon". She nodded in response and gave him a sleepy smile which was then cut off with a loud yawn.

"It's late, you should sleep and then tomorrow we will make arrangements for visiting Lord Davis". He then took her chin in his cold hands and pulled her closer to himself, placing a gentle kiss against her slightly swollen lips. With a wave of his hand the candle lights all disappeared leaving nothing but a small streak of smoke in their wake. The room descended into darkness except the occasional splatter of light caused by the storm outside. Just as Penelope was going to sleep, her last thought was how she was happy the storm was on the outside and not the inside.


	24. Chapter 24

As was predicted the storm had disappeared by morning and in a sense a new one in the form of an invitation had arrived. Penelope had been woken up by Victoria who asked many questions over her state the previous night. Penelope had just replied with an excuse of not feeling well as she attempted to wake herself up but all sleep disappeared instantaneously as she saw Victoria was holding an envelope with the seal which Lord Davis used.

Sitting up, she had read the contents of the letter and asked Victoria to help her chose an outfit for the day. The letter was rather basic for once with no fancy displays of writing although it was undoubtedly the Lords. There was a lack of extravagance to it that there had been in the past but she was quite happy about it getting straight to the point. It asked for her to come in two days to the manor for afternoon tea, something which shouldn't be that unpleasant.

Victoria had found her a pale yellow dress with a high white collar, and Penelope felt her eyes widening, wondering if the bruises that Claude had been responsible for, were still visible down her neck. She was thankful that her hair was currently covering her and then quickly dismissed Victoria, saying that she would be down soon to write a reply. Victoria did not question her and left the room silently, only slowing down to pick up some sheets that had been left for the wash.

Sitting in her bed, Penelope looked to the side of her and gently ran her hand across the space where Claude had been. She wondered if there ever would be a time when she would wake up every day to Claude still in bed, but she knew not to worry about that for now. She had far more pressing matters to deal with first. She then proceeded to get dressed and looked at herself in the mirror as the dress hugged every curve of her petite body and her red hair made her usually pale compaction far lighter.

Making her way down to the study, she was greeted by Claude who had just left the kitchens. He gave her a small bow and Penelope chuckled, gesturing with one hand for him to stop.

"Good morning, I hope you slept well". He stated calmly, but his eyes hid a mischievous twinkle. She smiled at his behaviour.

"It was lovely, thank you. I do hope you had a good night as well". As she spoke, she made her way past him to the study and felt him following behind. She then passed him the envelope and made her way to the desk, before writing a reply. Her reply took little time to write and with a flick of the wrist she signed off her name in an elegant scrawl.

"Two days then". Claude said as he placed the open letter on the desk and took the one out of her hands. She nodded in reply and leaned back into her chair. Her small rest was broken by a sudden thump on her desk and she pulled a face at the large pile of paperwork which was now littering her desk. She had sworn he had not been carrying it in when she had entered the room.

"What is all this?" She asked, obviously confused. Claude just gave her a look and as Penelope started to inspect the documents her expression grew sullen. With a slightly pleading look and her bottom lip more pronounced she tried to look innocent at the man in from of her.

"But Claude, I have two days until my fate at the manor and you want me to do work. Surely a kinder thing would be to let me relax before the inevitable".

"And what pray tell is this inevitable?" He asked with his arms folded and a smug expression.

"Well the inevitable being forced into a courtship or meeting Lucy". He nodded to her and carefully circled her like a shark until he was standing right behind her. Two arms leant on the desk from behind her and she felt his cold breath by her ear.

"I wouldn't allow you to get hurt so there is no inevitable fate that you are worrying about and I can tell you think something bad will happen. I would not allow you to go if I thought there was a chance you would be in severe danger. Now get on with your work". And with that he was gone leaving a disgruntled girl in his wake.

The amount of work she had did indeed take her a couple of days and the night before going to Lord Davis' manor she was still in the study, thankful that she had been given so much as a distraction. The days were getting shorter so although it was not that late, the sky was already pitch black and writing with candle light was starting to strain her eyes. She had been working constantly, actually enjoying the tasks she had been set. All the while to her knowledge Victoria and Claude were doing work around the house. She was starting to get tired but the thought of waking up tomorrow and it being the day was stressing her out. On one hand she really hoped they would be getting answers from their visit but on the other hand she hoped it would be an anxious free evening. She was in the middle of finishing her last sentence when the door opened and Victoria came in holding a tray with some delicately painted cups.

"I thought you would like some hot chocolate before you retire for the evening my Lady. Are you excited for tomorrow?" The bubbly maid chatted as she put down the tray making sure not to hit any of her paperwork. Penelope smiled in retuned and gave her a polite thank you.

"I look forward to getting out of the house". She replied, tactically avoiding the question. Victoria started to talk about how much she would enjoy herself and Penelope carefully sipped her drink, blowing on it when it scolded her tongue.

"Victoria, do you have any family?" Penelope asked suddenly, interrupting the chattering maid. Victoria looked a bit perplexed but quickly replied.

"Oh yes my Lady, my mother and my younger sister are living not that far away". Penelope watched as a small glimmer of sadness shot across the maid's eyes and Penelope set her decorated cup down with a small thud.

"I want you to take tomorrow and the next day off to go and see your family. You deserve a small holiday and do not fret about tomorrow, I am now more than capable of dressing myself". Victoria grasped her hands against her chest and gave Penelope a huge grin.

"My Lady, thank you so much!" she exclaimed and Penelope dismissed her to go and pack so she could go early. Watching the maid almost sprint out of the room, she leant back in her chair taking the cup with her. She didn't want Victoria to be around when they got back, especially if something happened. Penelope also understood truly the importance of family. She knew how much they meant and now by having none herself apart from her deranged cousin, she only wished others would understand the importance of family also.

Taking the hot chocolate in her hands, thanking the gods it had cooled down she left her study and climbed the staircase. The house was silent as a mouse apart from the odd creak and Penelope glanced at the family paintings down the corridor. She had always tried to ignore them but decided it was time to admire them. There were only three, one of her mother and father together, one of herself as a child and the third one being them all together. She remembered when they were painted and smiled slightly at the memory. When she reached the end of the corridor she was met with the door of her parent's room.

She had not been in for some time, as there was usually no reason to do so. But she felt that considering tomorrow could be the end of the Lucy situation, that she should visit once more. She opened the door with a soft nudge and before she entered she carefully placed the cup down on a small table that held a beautiful display of tulips on.

As she walked in, she was still amazed it smelt like her mother's perfume and smiled softly at the emptiness. She sometimes expected to see her mother brushing her hair whilst she sat at her mirror. She missed them every day and god knows what they would make of her current situation. She was sorry for what happened to them but her grieving days were over. She would never cease to be sad at the thought of them but she was past her mourning stage. She slightly wondered if tomorrow she would be reunited with them if something was to go wrong but pushed that thought out of her head quickly. Like Claude had said, he would keep her safe.

With one last look around the room, she made her way out and collected the cold drink from where it had been left. She decided that she would go and find Claude to entertain herself and made her way down to the kitchens, wondering if he was there.

When she got down, she was concerned to how cold it was and noticed the back door was left completely ajar. Her heartbeat sped up and she walked over with her back rigidly straight, her eyes glancing around at anything that moved.

She was just about to step outside when Claude make her jump as he was entering. She gave a relieved sigh and placed her small hand against her drumming heart.

"What were you doing outside?" She asked as she walked around the table to put the dirty cup in the sink. She heard Claude close the door with a small click and make his way towards her, his hands taking the cup out of her own and shooing her away.

"There was a spider in Victoria's room and she asked me to remove it". He said, amusement obvious in his voice. Penelope shook her head knowing how much he loved spiders considering his affinity with them and took a seat at the small table.

"What is your prediction for tomorrow?" She asked the butler as she inspected her nails.

"I predict you will wake up, get dressed-" he was cut off when he felt a hand lightly slap his arm playfully and turned to see a smiling red head next to him, taking the cup out of his hand to dry.

"Ha Ha very funny. You know damn well what I meant".

"I predict you will arrive home safely and then we will enjoy the evening together without Victoria being around. I predict I will kiss every inch of your body and Lucy will be a thing of the past. I predict that after tomorrow you will be worry free and give yourself completely and utterly to me". As he spoke, he moved around her and lightly traced his bare hands over her slim waist, making sure not to get any water on her. She gave a small shake of the head in amusement sending her red hair to bounce and then looked at him with big eyes.

"I hope that comes true". She whispered, putting the cup down on the side and turning herself to face him.

"It will". Was his simple reply and she watched him stretch over her to retrieve the cup and place it back in the cabinet.

"Have you finished your work then?" He asked and she nodded her head as a yes, knowing he could see her reflection in the glass.

"How about we go to the library, I will read to you". She smiled at his words and he came closer to her, offering her his outstretched arm. Taking it, she allowed him to escort her to the library and felt herself relax when he told her to pick any book of her choice. She spent a while debating over which book and she swore she heard Claude grumble something sarcastic.

After quite a few minutes of looking she gave a squeak when she felt herself being pinned against the bookshelf and Claude giving her an amused look.

"Choose a book". He stated and she was about to tell him that's what she had been in the middle of doing when his hand covered her eyes. She felt one hand that had been pinning her move and take her hand in his own.

"I'm going to run our hands across the books and when you say stop, that is the one you will have". She didn't exactly get to protest as his lips met hers and then she felt him controlling her hand. She made a sound to tell him that she wanted her hand to be stopped and felt him still their hands. Slowly he removed his hand from her eyes and she was met with two glowing golden eyes staring right back, their lips still pressed firmly together. He seemed to smirk into the kiss and press her back further with his own body, his neck tilted to keep them kissing. He was far taller than herself and rather than intimidated she felt safe. The books were starting to hurt her back but mixed with the pleasurable sensations of his body pressed against her own, she wasn't overly bothered. She felt him finally pull away and she watched as he removed his hand from her own and took the book. She gave him a small nod at the choice in book and gave a sigh she didn't know she was holding back when he removed himself from her body.

She had chosen a selection of classical myths and was quite happy about the result. She felt herself get lead to the seat and before she could even sit down, she felt Claude quickly pull her into his own lap. She giggled and got herself comfortable on him, and thanked him when he pulled a blanket out from behind them and covered her.

She didn't know how long he read to her for but being snuggled up against his lean chest and hearing his soothing deep voice lulled her into a dreamless sleep. The last thing she remembered was Claude talking about the story of Persephone and Hades.


	25. Chapter 25

She awoke in her own bed but for once not on her own. As she adjusted her eyes to the dull light which was peaking from between the curtains, she was amazed to find that her legs were wrapped around Claude's and that she was currently being held tightly against his body. For a moment she thought she was still dreaming but she heard him groan slightly as he stretched beneath her. She sat up suddenly, her hair spiked up in every direction possible and for a second she thought that she could give the gorgon a run for her money. She realised he was looking straight at her and stopped moving.

"Good morning". He said and she was sure that his voice sounded hoarser, as though he had been sleeping.

"Did you sleep here all night?" She asked, moving her hand to gently rearrange his coal like hair which seemed messier than usual. He took her hand in his own and pressed it against his cold lips.

"I saw Victoria out of the household before I came and joined you". The minute Penelope heard that Victoria was out she allowed her entire body to relax for a few minutes. Claude used this to his advantage and pulled her against him, his hands running over her body making Penelope suddenly realise was in a nightgown. She felt a blush paint her cheeks and squeaked.

"Did you dress me last night?" She asked, hoping her embarrassment wouldn't be too noticeable. Claude in response continued to stroke her body and just as he was about to touch the curve of her breast he stopped and looked her dead in the eye.

"Like a doll". Penelope laughed to cover up the heat that was burning across her face and stuttered a small thank you in reply. After all she was not unhappy he had seen her body, rather embarrassed which she felt was a natural reaction. The fact as well that his hand was in a certain place did not help the heat in her face. She moved away from him for a moment before sitting up.

"What time is it?" She asked. He is response did not move a muscle and used his gloveless fingers to climb up bare arm, causing goose bumps to be in left in its wake.

"It is nearly noon".

"And we are setting off to the manor around five o'clock are we not?"

"That was the decided time I believe". As he spoke, he had pulled her closer to him once again and she let him kiss her down her neck, yet when she felt his teeth graze across her skin she put her hands on his shoulders.

"As much as I enjoy you doing this, I cannot have any more marks on me for the time being, the other ones have only just faded and I wish to wear a particular dress tonight that does not have a collar". She felt Claud's sharp teeth slowly move away from her skin and instead he replaced them with his lips to give her a small kiss. She then felt him pull away and instead of a disappointed look in his eyes, something far different glinted. It was a mixture of mischief and lust. She gave him a pointed look in return, questioning what he was up to and it was not long until she found out.

Before she could even make a sound, she was shoved down and Claude was crawling down her body. He stopped at her legs and was using his hand to stroke up and down, paying close attention to her thighs.

"I will make sure that no one will see then". He said with an almost feral grin and she laughed at his playfulness, yet her laugh was replaced with a moan as she felt him start to kiss her inner thigh, dragging his sharp teeth over her tender flesh. She felt a mixture of sensations and they were all as equally confusing. When she felt a small sting she watched as he looked up at her with now red lips.

"I thought you said you weren't a vampire". She said breathlessly, the sight of him with her blood on his lips making her feel light headed and not from shock. He laughed and moved up her body until they were face to face.

"I wouldn't associate myself with those creatures. I do enjoy the taste of your blood however". And she watched, almost hypnotised, as his tongue shot out and licked away the red that had ever so slightly stained his lips. She bit her lip to try and suppress a small moan that was crawling up her throat and pointed a finger at him.

"You are teasing me". She accused earning herself a chuckle from the larger man. He gave her a quick peck on the lips and the removed himself from her, making his way to the door.

"I do believe you tease me just as badly". And with that he left, leaving a flushed woman in his wake and the remnants of the kiss still tingling against her lips.

As she sat there, she looked down to inspect the damage and almost rolled her eyes at the trail of bruises down her inner thighs. But she would give him credit, no one would see them. She then spent the next few hours getting ready into a dark green dress made of the finest silk and sorting out her hair. After sorting out her appearance she spent her time pacing up and down in her library, constantly watching the outside to see the sky get darker.

She had declined having something for lunch on the basis that she felt ill and although Claude had almost hauled her into the kitchen to get her to eat she stood her ground. When she was nervous she could hardly eat a thing and right now food was the last thing from her mind. She had heard the clock from down the hallway and realised that it was getting closer to five. As she was pacing she almost fell over when Claude appeared in front of her.

"You are going to wear a hole into the carpet if you carry on". He said dryly and she realised he was holding her coat in his gloved hands. Unlike this morning he looked immaculately dressed and she swore she saw something gold glint out of his inside pocket but she hardly thought about it.

"Is it time already?" She asked suddenly alarmed. Unless she had been pacing for a while she was sure that it wasn't five already.

"I believe you have been trapped in your thoughts for a while, you didn't notice my presence when I entered about fifteen minutes ago". Penelope just shook her head and took a deep breath. She took the coat from his hands and allowed him to help her put it on. He ran his hands across the velvet material to get any creases out and she was sure he lingered far more than necessary. The journey to the carriage felt like a blur and it was not long until they were in a comfortable silence and on their way.

"So the plan" She started, breaking the silence. "I will meet with Lord Davis and you will investigate the surrounding area for any sign of Lucy. If you sense her before we go in, still continue your search and I will call for you if I need you". As she spoke her hands fidgeted nervously and she felt his own still hers.

"And if he is not the master of Lucy?" He asked.

"Then we will be at the beginning again".

The carriage ride continued in silence and Penelope could see small bright lights in the distance, indicating that they were steadily getting closer. She did not know why but she had a bad feeling about the events yet to come. She gave Claude a smile when she noticed he was giving her a concerned look, hoping to show that she was alright. The ride did not take that long and sooner than she would have liked, Penelope watched as the carriage came up the large pathway for the manor.

Just like the Lord himself the manor was extravagant. With more rooms than she could count and lights glowing from all directions, Penelope was in awe at the sight in front of her. The manor was completely white as though it was made of marble and two large columns stood proud next to the golden coloured doorway. The gardens which looked as though they were never ending were an array of bright colours that even in the dark appeared to be quite visible. The pathway to the manor was littered with candles and she felt herself relax ever so slightly. After all it could have looked extremely creepy and dark.

As they carriage drew up, she saw the figure of Lord Davis' butler standing rigidly at the doorway and she waited as Claude started to get out. Yet her hand shot out and grabbed his arm, stopping him in his tracks.

"Can you sense her?" She asked, her voice laced with worry.

"Not right at this moment, however once we are inside I will definitely be able to tell you". With that he opened the door and came to her side, allowing her to get out. She observed with fascination as Claude suddenly stood up straighter and his hand clenched tightly. She discreetly nudged him and inclined her head as to ask if he sensed Lucy. He seemed to have understood her odd sign language and he nodded ever so slightly in response. Knowing that right now was not the right time to have a panic attack, Penelope held her head high and walked towards the entrance, saying a polite thank you when Dean, the butler, let her through.

When they entered, she was immediately greeted by a cold gust of air and she was surprised considering how well lit the place looked that there were no fires or any form of heat. It wasn't as though it was a cold night anyway. Much like the outside, the inside was just as elaborate and the entrance hall was beautifully designed with chairs made of the deepest red velvet scattered around. She was aware of how rich the Lord was but this was something else entirely. Even at the Viscounts house it had not been as grand, and that was saying something. A cough broke her from her thoughts

"The Lord is in his study, just through there" The butler gestured down a well-lit corridor, which had one big door left slightly ajar at the very end. "My lord thought it would be wise that your butler comes with me to help prepare tea". Penelope glanced at Claude and slowly nodded her head to allow him to go. So far nothing was amiss apart from the fact that Claude had sensed Lucy. So without waiting, Penelope gave Claude one last look and made her way down the corridor. She heard the echo of shoes behind her and soon realised that she was now alone.

As she walked, her skirts drifted softly against the tiled flooring and when she had reached the door, she knocked lightly. There was no sound or even an acknowledgement of her presence and Penelope felt a tiny bit affronted. Knocking louder she furrowed her eyebrows when yet again there was no reply.

With her hand, she pushed the heavy door wider open and walked in. The room was far bigger than her own study and the desk was practically the size of a dinner table. She would have laughed at the absurd size of such a table but stopped herself in case she caused any offence. The desk chair was turned slightly and she saw the hand of Lord Davis grasping the arm of the chair. The room was dimly lit which was odd in comparison to the rest of the house and Penelope started to feel anxious. Something was wrong and she couldn't tell exactly what. Making her way into the room, occasionally glancing around behind her in case she was to be jumped, she started to talk.

"My Lord, I do hope you don't mind that I took the liberty of coming in. I did knock". Yet as she got closer and still no reply her nose wrinkled at an odd smell. It was only until she was in front of the Lord did she let out a startled sob. Her hand flew to her mouth and she almost gagged at the sight in front of her. Hot tears streamed down her face and she felt her legs give way, colliding harshly with the floor.

There sat with empty eyes was the corpse of Lord Davis, his throat completely slit and in his hand a dried up quill. Congealed blood looked as though it had been oozing from his mouth for some time and she could only stare in horror. His clothes were exactly the same as he had worn when they had gone to the park and she could see that he had undone his waistcoat to reveal a male corset. She realised that it answered her questions to why he was so touchy about her trying to see his waistcoat. It turned out that the handsome Lord was just a proud man. She may not have cared for him, or adored him but she had not wanted him dead. His usually so lively eyes were dull and she couldn't contain the sobs that erupted from her. All this time she had suspected him of being the mastermind and yet he was just as innocent as herself. He was nothing but another victim in this mess and the sorrow she felt for his cruel murder was beyond words.

She started to regret the times she found him annoying and wished that she had cared more. It was unsettling to see him in such a way, his skin was a horrible grey colour and his usually curly hair looked dull and greasy. His mouth was almost black and his entire outfit was marred by his own blood. She wondered if Claude would have sensed it when he came in. Yet as she stared the horror was only becoming more and more real. This was not a game of cat and mouse with Lucy. This was a living nightmare that had taken another life.

Crawling backwards until her back hit the windowsill, she tried to control her breathing. She needed to get out but her legs felt as though they weren't working. She managed to push herself up and very shakily she approached the body of Lord Davis. Holding her breath to not gag, she managed to close his eyes using her hands. Stepping back, she looked at the Lord.

"I am so sorry this happened". She whispered, tears streaming down her face. Out of all the things she expected when she got here, this was not one of them. This had created more questions than answers. She had no doubt in her mind that this was a trap set for her and the idea that Lord Davis had been dead for days unsettled her greatly. She guessed that he had been responsible for the letter judging by the quill and that he had been killed not too long afterwards.

Obviously his butler would have been aware of the situation and her eyes widened at the thought of Claude. She gave a last sorry glance at Lord Davis and had he not been in a state of decay she would have squeezed his hand, and shakily moved away. Yet just as Claude's name was on the tip of her tongue a voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Ah m…my d..darling cousin".


	26. Chapter 26

Claude watched with golden narrowed eyes as the retreating back of Penelope slowly disappeared from his view. He could smell Lucy everywhere and it was taking all his willpower to not scrunch up his nose in disgust. Yet he swore that there was another odour in the house, which reeked of death but the presence of Lucy was too over powering. He had expected her to be here and was quite glad that the further into the house he went the heavier her presence was. It meant that she was nowhere near Penelope and that thought was enough to keep him calm.

He was escorted by Dean down a winding staircase and the deeper they went, the darker it was getting and Claude was well aware at the sudden temperature drop. The walls unlike those upstairs looked unkempt and there were cobwebs hanging from above. He wondered when the last time the kitchens and servant quarters had been cleaned properly and started to think that Dean was not as efficient as he could be.

When they finally entered the kitchen Claude was not surprised that it looked rather disgusting. There was unwashed cutlery littered on the dirty surfaces and the smell of rotten food tainted the air. It was as though it had not been in use for a while. Claude watched as the other butler stopped in his tracks to face him, yet the butler's eyes were not fixed on his own but rather someone's behind him. Claude didn't need to guess who the butler was staring at.

"I can sense your disapproval at such a mess. My what a perfect little butler you have become". Purred a sickly voice from behind him, followed by a gentle touch on his shoulder. Without bothering to turn around and address the voice, Claude stood still and watched the figure of Lucy saunter into the room and almost drape herself over the solemn looking butler. Lucy was wearing a blood red gown, its bright colour making her pointed hips look painfully sharp and her cheekbones almost skeletal looking. She looked as though she had seen better days and Claude wondered if she was cracking slightly. He continued to stare and his eyes only widened for the fraction of a second when her nails grew sharper and they clamped themselves around the other butler's neck. It was with a quick motion that that his neck was ripped open and the already unclean surfaces were marred with his blood.

The now gurgling butler looked as though he had never been in a trance as his shock was evident on his face and Claude could only guess that he had been easily manipulated by the temptress. He would have felt sorry for the man had he not been so utterly disgusted by the whole affair. Her full attention had never left Claude and she wiped her hand on the red material of her dress leaving a dark stain in its wake.

"Ah now that's better don't you think? We can talk in private". She giggled, her fake enthusiasm seeping through. A sudden sob from above caused his neck to snap up instantly. He knew it was Penelope's and the idea of her being hurt shook him. He did not get very far though as he suddenly found himself being pinned against the floor, the dark liquid beneath him soaking through his once immaculate clothing.

"Now now now!" She tutted excitedly as her hand went to slash his face. "Let my master have a bit of fun". Claude quickly threw her off him and was surprised to be pinned down once more. However broken she may have appeared with her demented eyes and smudged lipstick, she was still powerful. Although, Claude knew she was not as powerful as himself. Her hand managed to collide with his face and he felt his own blood trickle down his face. Knowing that he had a limited amount of time to get Penelope out of harm's way, he used one hand to clamp around her neck and squeezed with all of his strength, feeling the muscles in her neck spasm at such pressure. It had the desired effect when the woman on top of him started to chock, yet her eyes still glittered with enjoyment. He heard a sudden crunch and the figure went limp against him. Knowing damn well that she would be back in no time, he shoved her off him and just as he had taken one step away, a clawed hand broke through the skin of his ankle and he fell to the floor with a painful thud. It was with a sigh of frustration, Claude glanced behind him with a bored expression at the deranged looking creature now attached to his body.

With a sharp kick he smirked at the disgruntled squawk from behind him and pulled his body up again. The ground which was slippery from a mixture of grease and blood had stained his trousers and he couldn't help but watch with sick satisfaction as the woman on the floor struggled to get up. Her hair was no longer straight but rather messy and knotted and he gave her a swift kick to keep her down. With his ruined gloves he patted down his clothes, giving a sigh of exasperation at their state and felt the scratch on his face heal up. It was an odd sensation as the skin pulled itself back together and he straightened his glasses which had been knocked from Lucy's forceful blows.

Within a blink of an eye he was out of the kitchens and made his way down the corridor Penelope had once been down. The door at the end was still open yet he could hear no noise. He was listening for any sounds that would indicate hew whereabouts and just as he reached the door, his body was forced through and he found himself yet again on the floor. The moment he fell he smelt death and was not surprised to find corpse when he looked up from his position. He was however a little taken back at it being the young Lord's. He had little time to consider the situation when he felt a knife slam into his stomach. There stood above him was a very angry Lucy, her teeth bared. She had obviously ransacked the kitchen and he rolled his eyes knowing that she wouldn't give up. He pulled out the item from his stomach without any sound and threw it straight back at her. It missed his intended target and instead sliced through a painting of the recently deceased Lord, ripping the expensive material.

"So who is your master then?" Claude asked as he lunged forward to topple the woman. She moved almost elegantly out of the way and gave a small tinkling laugh when he hit the wall. He glared in response and he made his way back over to her, his patience wearing thin and his time running out.

"If you listen you can hear them now. Finally reunited. I think your jealousy over the Lord blinded you from the truth which has been staring you in the face the whole time. I must say, I am disappointed". She mocked and in reply a golden knife was thrown, skimming her cheek leaving a small trail of blood behind. Her words got the exact reaction she wanted and Claude could hear the low murmur of voices in the rooms above. Wondering how much time he had, Claude almost smiled at his idea.

"How about we meet your master then". And with those words, he grabbed Lucy roughly and she smashed through the ceiling, debris cluttering the floor beneath him. He followed suit and let out a small sound of frustration when the room was empty. It looked as though it had been a game room, the emphasis on 'had'.

Lucy had gone straight through the pool table and a crack to his head signalled as much when another ball was thrown in his direction. He could tell however that Penelope and this master were close by as the voices were much louder. The tinge of despair and hurt in Penelope's voice caused far more pain that any of the wounds he had been given from Lucy. The voices which had been louder suddenly started to become soften and Claude tried to figure out where in the house they were moving to. His investigation was cut short when Lucy's high pitched voice broke through the silence.

"How does it feel to be in love with such a weak creature? Surely you could have at least fallen for someone in your own league". She laughed as she stumbled out of the mess, her hands far longer than they had been before and her skin colour far more grey. She was taunting him and Claude's eyes glowed with hatred for the thing in front of him. With the knowledge that the moment this thing was dead Penelope and himself could live a life without immediate danger, Claude allowed himself to lose all control. The room which had been alive with candles became almost pitch black and his eyes were now the brightest thing in the room. He took a moment to enjoy the fear in Lucy's own expression but that lasted only a few seconds as she began to transform as well.

Webs began to spiral around the room and slowly wrap around her legs. She did not look affected however, and instead two large bat like wings broke through the skin of her back and flapped around violently. She seemed to take in his new appearance and gave a soft laugh.

"You are just as monstrous as me aren't you? I'm surprised Penelope isn't terrified of you. Are you sure she loves you or the idea of you?" As she spoke she stalked around him, the webs still clinging to her legs and her hands casually swiping any small spiders that were crawling up her skeletal arms. "She would be far better suited to my master but that's up to him of course. I wouldn't be surprised if he is trying to kill her now. In fact, I hope he is!" She shouted the last part and lunged at him. Yet her body did not crash into his now much larger one, instead it went through a dark cloud of smoke.

Claude had meanwhile left the room in the middle of her mocking and with his hearing detected the whereabouts of Penelope. She was further in the manor house than he had originally thought and as he stepped into the corridor, he realised how large the manor was. The stairs in the centre of the house spiralled upwards in a never ending fashion and the bannister was a deep golden colour with ivy sculpted into it. Looking up the voices appeared to be at the very top and Claude wanted to roll his eyes at how typical it was that she was at the furthest point in the house.

"It was rude to leave when someone was talking".

"I believe trying to kill someone is equally rude". Claude retorted, his voice bored as ever. He was not giving the woman any satisfaction in his response. She in reply gave a soft hum and then with no warning lunged at him. He stepped out the way and grabbed one wing, pulling her back so they were face to face. He opened his mouth to snarl something when a scream echoed through the entire manor. If his face could have gone paler it would have. Lucy was now grinning and pushed herself closer to the now panicked butler. Her cold breath against his face was enough to turn his stomach and the amount of contempt he felt for her was almost indescribable.

"She sure makes some beautiful sounds". They were to be her last words as Claude smashed his hand through her chest effectively shutting her up. She choked at the impact and her eyes grew larger when she realised what he had done. In his hand was a gold blade, excellently crafted and one of a kind. Very few things killed a demon or a supernatural creature but the blade was one of the rarer things that could. He had spent a few days trying to locate one and giving Penelope so much work allowed him ample opportunity to do so. Now he could finally remove Lucy once and for all. Thinking of all the pain she had caused towards Penelope had made him drive it in further, and she gave a few spluttered noises. He turned his hand as it was deep inside her and the blade extended. They were face to face and Claude took great pleasure in the horror that washed over her as she started to realise her situation. Her eyes started to lose their brightness and he bared his now pointed teeth at her as he spoke.

"And you make such wretched noises". He growled and with that he shoved her now limp body watching it fall with a thud. Her face was still stuck with a terrified look in her eyes and he spent a couple of seconds watching her wings slowly dissolve into nothingness. She had been an utter pain to him and the monster inside him felt a wave of satisfaction at her now motionless body. Another cry from above broke his trance and he ran up the stairs, stopping when he caught sight of two figures.

Pushed against the golden banister at the very top of the stairs was the figure of Penelope. Her red hair tumbling over and her back painfully arched so she was almost off the side. Her hands were grasping the man's lapels desperately. She was talking quickly and Claude could tell she was crying. The man in question was smiling calmly, considering his current situation, and his pale eyes finally met Claude's own golden ones. Claude had stopped walking and stood away from them so he had to tilt his head to look up. He felt frozen as he watched the scene in front of him unfold.

"Ah it l…looks like Lucy failed. What a pity. I would love to stay and chat b..but alas it appears to be m..my time to go. Farewell dear c..cousin". The man stuttered, his voice still managing to convey an odd sense of superiority. Without blinking the man suddenly pulled Penelope closer so that their faces were only inches apart. The man then pressed his lips roughly against her own, swallowing her cries and then shoved Penelope harshly sending her tumbling off the edge. Her petite hands slipped of the man's coat and Claude watched as in slow motion her body fell elegantly further and further down, her dress like dark green waves around her body and her hair like a fiery halo around her head. Penelope's deafening scream vibrated off the walls as she fell.

Her scream was then cut off with a large sudden thud.


	27. Chapter 27

"_Ah m…my d..darling cousin"._

Penelope's mouth hung open as the figure at the door leant against the door frame, his arms folded in a relaxed manner and his smile flashing a set of white teeth. Claude's name was well forgotten as she stared in surprise at the guest. She couldn't believe it. Out of all the people to be her cousin it was the man stood in front of her now.

"Leonard?" She asked, her voice full of shock. The memories of dancing with the stuttering man at the ball raced through her head and the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. She thought back to that day when she had chased Lucy through the streets and she had collided into a man who had looked very much like Leonard as he had stuttered as well. All this time he had been in her view yet she had been too fixated on Lord Davis being the master, she had ultimately missed the obvious. The more she stared at him the more she could see his resemblance to the cousin she knew all those years ago, he may have changed but he had similar features. As she could only gawp at him he made his way into the room and stopped when he was in front of Lord Davis. His presence was strong and unlike the ball he did not appear as a nervous young man, but rather a man in control. Tied around his neck was a bright green cravat and his suit was made of velvet in the shade of dark green. It was very similar to her own dress and Penelope couldn't help but feel as though he had even managed to plan his attire too mock her.

"I..I am a little offended you thought h..he was your c..cousin". He spoke calmly and gave her a disappointed look. Penelope felt like the whole situation was surreal as she was almost being chastised for her wrong assumptions. The sight of Lord Davis though was starting to make her feel sick and Penelope slowly started to make her way out. She didn't get very far though when a clammy hand clamped around her upper arm pulling her against a hard body. She looked up and for the first time fully took in his appearance, flinching when her eyes met his own pale ones.

The stuttering man was only slightly smaller than Claude but unlike Claude his face had a distinct pinched look. He had sharp high cheekbones and his eyes were deep within their sockets making the shadows under his eyes look as though he had never had a decent night's rest in his life. He had dark brown hair that curled towards the centre and his lips were thin, as though he was constantly pulling them back. Yet the most interesting characteristic was his pale eyes that seemed somewhat kind but there was something unsettling about them, especially as he didn't blink often. She stopped staring at his eyes and under the green cravat she suddenly noticed a large pattern peeking out. Her hands itched to grasp at it but a chuckle stopped her from doing so.

"You n..need to learn the skill of subtlety m..my dear, it is quite rude to stare b..but I am happy for you to s..see my mark. I am not a..ashamed after all". He murmured, his grey eyes not blinking. She didn't reply as she began to feel lightheaded due to the smell in the room and he cocked his head as though to consider her.

"W..we appear to be matching". He gestured to the outfits with a low chuckle and slowly he used his long fingers to undo the cravat that had been tied tightly around his slim neck. As the cravat was pulled away elegantly, twisting around his fingers, Penelope was finally able to see the contract mark fully. It was a circular shape and in the centre it looked as though there were a pair of wings which she could only guess were the mark of Lucy. The mark was also a bright red colour making it look quite sore, yet he showed no indication of it causing him any pain.

"Ah is the smell g..getting to you?" He asked with genuine concern causing Penelope to nod. He seemed to consider her for a moment and then much to her shock he escorted her out of the room and started to walk towards the stairs. His grip was strong and it didn't go with the soft smile he was directing at her. She had thought him to be acting far more cruelly yet here he was acting almost polite. But she had a feeling this was just another act. Whilst they were walking he manged to put the cravat on, with a little difficulty as he was doing it one handed and unlike before it didn't cover the pattern as well. She stopped watching him when he spoke.

"I..I never thanked you for k..killing off my father. Although I suppose i..it was your demon who did the actual killing". As he spoke, he kept pulling her further up the stairs and stopped suddenly to look her straight in the eyes. "He was a..an idiot with no ambition. Yet h..he was right about the i..inheritance. Rightfully some should have gone to h…him and in turn myself". He didn't seem annoyed despite his words and then carried on tugging her gently up the stairs in his firm grip.

"I take it this is your reasoning behind trying to kill me?" Penelope asked, nearly tripping on her skirts when they left the stairs and walked into an odd room. He didn't reply immediately but he did let her go as he went to a small side table to get a glass. She watched as his long spindly fingers undid the top on the decanter and slowly pour the sap like liquid into his awaiting glass. He then proceeded to take a sip all the while staring straight at her, not blinking once.

"I..I suppose at first it was a reason. But I did also intend to m…marry you although I do n..not believe y..you will be very a..accommodating on that matter". He chuckled and put the glass down quickly. Walking rather quickly to her position in the room he pulled her against him, one hand painfully around her cheeks making it hard to speak. He tilted his head and Penelope suddenly realised that there were loud bangs coming from down below.

"At the beginning I wasn't r..really prepared to k..kill you. But then dear L…Lucy told me you and your demon butler were engaged in 'o..other' activities. It's a shame, I had been willing to k..keep you for myself but it appears that i..is no longer an option". His tone had become bitter and she felt him squeeze her cheeks roughly, causing her eyes to water painfully. Fearing the worst, Penelope could still hear the bangs from downstairs and with the knowledge that Claude would not be able to get to her on time, Penelope made a decision.

Raising one knee, she managed to hit him straight in the crotch and almost smiled when he fell to the floor with a grunt. Her small victory didn't last long however when a loud crash from what appeared to be the room next door rumbled through the house. Even by being distracted for a few seconds, she had ultimately allowed Leonard to grab her ankle and to pull her awkwardly to the ground. She felt her body get dragged backwards and before she could blink she was being pinned by someone much heavier.

"This game has been fun b..but we are s..starting to run out of time".

"You still haven't explained why you have gone to all this trouble Leonard. Was there even a point?" She asked, knowing damn well she sounded desperate for answers. He in response went to open his mouth but the crashing from the next room caught his attention. He quickly straightened himself up, wincing ever so slightly and firmly dragged her up by the arms before practically yanking her out of the room. He made his way back to the stairs and all the while Penelope fought back trying to get out of his brutal hold.

"W..why did I do this?" He grunted, his voice starting to sound exhausted from constantly trying to pull her further up the stairs.

"It was amusing". He answered simply and Penelope gave him a distressed look.

"Amusing? You have put me through all this hell for your own amusement! You are responsible for the deaths of so many as with your uncle and your excuse is for pure amusement. You must be sick in the head Leonard". She shouted, her anger getting the better of her. She couldn't believe it, in fact she truly believed there had to be another reason behind his deranged plan that had taken the lives of so many. She would understand the inheritance debacle; she would even understand avenging his father but she could not comprehend how he found this fun. Her thoughts were abruptly halted when a sharp stinging slap burned her cheek.

"You are f..far too talkative for your own g..good". He snapped but Penelope could see minor panic in his eyes as though he could tell she didn't believe him. They had now reached the very top and from below Penelope swore she could hear Lucy's voice or rather screeches. Leonard also seemed to notice this as he ran one skeletal hand through his hair as though he was considering his options. Penelope wondered if she could stall him for a few seconds when he suddenly shoved her against the bannister. She let out a startled scream when she realised how high up they truly were. Her arms flailed but she managed to grasp onto the bannister to steady herself. All the while Leonard was looking at her and she swore she saw a glimmer of pity flash through. Knowing that he could very well push her, she started to talk hoping to get through to him, or at least find out the truth.

"You wanted to marry me, didn't you?" She accused softly although her voice trembled when she felt his body press against her. Very slowly he inclined his head and Penelope watched as he took a deep shuddering breath. He seemed hesitant to speak and she carefully moved one of her hands that was steadying her and pressed it against his chest.

"But Leonard we have only really just met now, surely that can't have been the driving force behind your plan?" She asked, her voice as calm as possible. He seemed to consider her and using one hand he played with a red curl which had been framing her face.

"A..as I said before the i..inheritance was the reason at first. And like I s..said, I intended to marry you. But that was o..only after the b..ball I came to that conclusion. I…I hadn't seen y..you in such a long time and I..I had not expected you to look so…" He paused and for the first time Penelope felt as though he was starting to get frustrated at his stutter. He took a deep breath and went to open his mouth when he glanced down the stairs, his eyes widening a fraction before returning to their normal size. Suddenly he pushed her even further against the ornate bannister and Penelope quickly grasped his coat lapels with both hands to steady herself.

Her back was aching painfully now and her neck was straining to stay up straight. He seemed to have regained his composure and a small smile tugged at his lips. He then looked down below again at the staircase and Penelope felt a few tears run down her face thinking Lucy had somehow managed to get to them. She pleaded quickly, begging softly for him to not act rash but his attention seemed elsewhere. His calm appearance hinted as much and the realisation that Claude may not be able to reach her terrified her. She was unable to look herself as if she was to move, her body would surely fall. Leonard had pushed her so forcefully against the wood that her feet were completely off the ground. She closed her eyes awaiting the inevitable.

"Ah it l…looks like Lucy failed. What a pity. I would love to stay and chat b..but alas it appears to be m..my time to go. Farewell dear c..cousin". The minute the words came out of his lips, Penelope's eyes snapped open. Hearing that Lucy had failed, her eyes flickered straight to his neck and was thankful his cravat was not tied as tight as it had been when she had first met him earlier on. His pale skin was completely clear of any marks whatsoever and she couldn't believe that Lucy had finally disappeared. She wanted to look down at Claude when Leonard suddenly yanked her forward by her chin and feeling a warm breath of air against her lips, she felt his lips smash onto her own. She barely registered the desperation of the kiss and before she knew it, he pushed her with one forceful shove.

The first thing Penelope registered was the sudden rush of air around her and she swore time froze as she began spiralling downwards. A scream echoed in her ears and all the breath from her body felt as though it had disappeared. As she fell further and further, her eyes remained transfixed on the ever disappearing body of Leonard as he grew smaller in the distance. But she knew as she fell he had watched the whole thing. She didn't have enough time to fear death and in her final moments of tumbling the last thing that flickered through her mind was the idea that Claude would finally be free if she hit the ground.

Her scream was then cut off with a large sudden thud.


	28. Chapter 28

The impact of the ground was never felt by Penelope. Instead too strong arms were firmly wrapped around her waist and as she opened her eyes, she felt them water at the cloud of dust surrounding her. As her vision began to clear she became more aware of her situation and let out a relived sob when she realised she wasn't dead. Instead she was in the arms of Claude and two glowing golden eyes met her own. He appeared to have taken off his glasses and he was showing genuine concern.

"You didn't think I would let you fall did you?" Claude asked, his eyes searching over her body quickly as though he was trying to see if she was harmed. His eyes landed on her cheek which was still tinged with red from the slap she and received from Leonard and she watched as his teeth appeared to get sharper and his eye glowed. Penelope continued to sob and wrapped her own trembling hands around his shoulders. He seemed to push back his anger and held her tightly against him, gently rubbing soothing circles against her back to calm her down the best he could. She was still breathless from the fall and Claude had never moved so fast in his entire existence as he had in those moments. She only took a few minutes to finally regain her senses and she gave a sharp gasp at their position.

The floor beneath them was a crater and the once perfect tiles were scattered around the entrance hall. It looked as though an explosion had occurred and Penelope tried to shakily inspect Claude for any damage. He shooed her hands away though and slowly placed his arm under her legs, allowing him better access to then lift her up. In one smooth motion he then proceeded to lift her up and jumped rather gracefully out of the crater. She glanced back at the damage done to the floor and wondered how on earth that would be resolved but decided it was not worth worrying about at the present moment. She was still very much in shock at being pushed and nearly killed. Yet she was trying her hardest to get over what had just happened.

"I will leave you here and I will deal with your cousin". He stated and walked over to the dark red chairs, placing her in one carefully. Yet the minute she touched the chair she was out of it and gave Claude a pointed look. She may have still been trembling but her mind was starting to clear from her initial fear she had been consumed by before.

"I don't want him dead Claude, I want to talk to him". Her voice trembled and she sounded slightly breathless but her voice still held some authority. Claude looked like he was debating whether or not to argue but he seemed to consider how much time there was to get to Leonard without him getting away.

"You better hold on tightly then" He murmured and she was suddenly swept off her feet. Already predicting Claude's next move, Penelope took a deep breath and a small squeak when he jumped high. His feet landed on one of the bannisters with a loud slamming noise but as soon as he touched it, he was off again as he jumped further up. Within a blink of an eye she was back where she had been originally and felt a bit sick when she observed how far she had fallen. When she looked away a glint of bright green caught her attention from the corner of her eye and down the final corridor laid the cravat Leonard had been wearing. It was already obvious that he couldn't have gone in any other direction and Claude was already making his way down the corridor.

"You can put me down now Claude". She said and was thankful when her feet made contact with the ground. She felt as though she never wanted to leave the ground again after being off it for so long. Down the corridor were four doors and one final one right at the end which was wide open showing a staircase that appeared to go quite high. Penelope could only guess it was to the roof. Although she suspected as much that Leonard had made his way to the roof, she decided that the other rooms still needed checking in case it was a distraction.

"Claude quickly check the rooms whilst I head to the roof. It won't take you long since you are faster than me. In fact, by the time I reach the top I expect to have you right behind me". As she spoke, she bent down and retrieved the fallen cravat. It was still warm to touch. Claude in response bowed low but just before he went to flash away, a hand halted him in his tracks.

"Thank you for saving me". She whispered and he gave her a small smile in response and in a blink disappeared from her sights. Shen then made her way down the corridor, the temperature dropping dramatically as the night air had leaked through the door, causing her to rub her arms in an attempt to stay warm. Behind her the sound of Claude opening doors broke some of the ominous tension which was building as she began to ascend the stairs, dropping the cravat behind her.

The stairs creaked under her weight and the icy wind stung her pale face. She was tempted to run up them but he legs still felt wobbly from her near death experience and she also didn't want to alert Leonard to her presence. When she finally reached the top, she was surprised how light it was outside as the glow of the sunrise painted the marble like manor in an array of beautiful deep reds and oranges. The roof itself was flat and large, yet its simplicity meant that Penelope spotted the figure, or rather silhouette of Leonard straight away.

She went to step forward and almost jumped a mile when a voice came from behind her.

"I do believe he is on the roof". Claude joked yet she could hear him fighting back a growl. She wasn't surprised Claude was angry at the young man, after all he had just tried to kill her. She herself should have been just as angry but instead she felt more pity towards him. However, she was reminded that he was in fact responsible for a lot of awful events and just the thought of Lord Davis rekindled her anger. Yet she did not want him to die, after all he was literally the only family she had left. She turned her head ever so slightly and gave Claude a sideways glance.

"I want you to let me try and talk to him. So please can you refrain from killing him?" She asked in a hushed voice. Claude gave what sounded like a displeased grunt but offered no indication that he would ignore her.

Picking up her green skirts, she walked carefully towards the figure of Leonard and felt her breath catch in her throat when she realised he was stood right on the edge of the building. She had absolutely no idea what she would do with him when she talked him down. She could never forgive him for causing her life to be a living hell but she somehow believed that he could perhaps redeem himself in society. She did feel though that he had to pay for his crimes of the murder of Lord Davis even if he commanded it. She approached him, making sure to stay well away from the side herself and started to speak.

"You can always find redemption Leonard. You don't have to do anything silly". As she spoke the tall man, turned around and he raised an eyebrow at her. His once calm exterior looked as though it was breaking and she could see the defeat in his eyes.

"You have done some truly terrible things. Lord Davis did not deserve what happened to him yet you are still family. I cannot forgive you Leonard but I do not wish for your death as you have wished for mine". He let out a sharp bark of laughter at her words and Penelope could only flinch in response.

"I..I do not think t..there is anything to redeem m..my dear. As for Lord Davis I e…enjoyed killing him m..myself. He was o..obnoxious and I disliked his b..behaviour towards you". It was then Penelope's turn to laugh at his words.

"His behaviour? This is rich coming from you. You who have slapped me, tried to kill me, pushed me, shoved me, grabbed me. You cannot think yourself better than him?" She asked, her voice tinged with disgust. The revelation that he had directly killed the poor Lord caused what pity she had felt for the man to slowly disappear. She could only stare at him as though he was mad and his next words seemed to only prove her point further.

"H..he wouldn't have loved you. He d..didn't deserve you. Yet ironically you are with a d..demon who also d..does not l..love you. My d..dear cousin what terrible decisions you make". He ranted, his arms flailing as he spoke and his body swaying dangerously. Penelope felt herself moving forward ever so slightly to grab him if he was to fall and tried to ignore his mocking words. In her eyes he was totally misguided and she was sure he needed help. She was about to speak again when Leonard's eyes appeared to have flickered up behind her and he grinned.

"Speak o..of the devil and h..he will appear".

Claude in return gave the deluded man a bored look and raised one black eyebrow wondering how long they would spend talking to the man. Penelope decided enough was enough and tried to coax him down.

"It doesn't have to end like this Leonard". Leonard slowly shifted his pale eyes to her own and he gave her an almost pitying glance that confused her.

"I..if you are trying to seek justice dear c..cousin for those who have d..died I am afraid you will be waiting eternity". As he spoke, he stepped back a little more, the heels of his shiny shoes completely off the edge so he was now balancing dangerously. She went to move forwards but Claude's arm stopped her and she released a breath when Leonard moved forwards again.

"W..would you like to know how I..I got into this m..manor?" He asked with a grin. He did not wait for her response as he continued talking. "I befriended him. H..he was very trusting, e..even invited me to his m..manor. In fact the day y..you spent with h..him at the park he had to leave as h..he was meeting me. Or so h..he thought he was. You bumped into me r..remember, I can still recall w..what you smelt like". Penelope scrunched her nose up at his words and felt Claude's arm grasp her tighter as though he was trying very hard not to lunge at the young man.

"I..I arrived late at his manor, t..thankful he had already w..written you an invitation. It couldn't h..have been b..better planned even i..if I tried". He laughed and Penelope started to realise that he was taunting her on purpose. He wanted a reaction, he wanted her to push him. But she would not give him the satisfaction. Even with all this new information she still didn't wish for him to be dead. If he was to die she would be the last of her family and that thought was rather scary. However insane he may have been, he was still related.

"Come down Leonard". She whispered, her voice laced with obvious exhaustion. The minute the words came out of her mouth she saw the last bit of sanity in Leonard crack. His usually pale non blinking eyes, blinked rapidly as though he was confused and he tilted his head to study her.

"There is a storm coming Penelope. You better prepare yourself". For the first time Leonard did not stutter and with those words he went limp, his body falling backwards. Like when she had fallen the whole scene slowed down, his body illuminated by the ever rising sun. The warm colours of the sky making his silhouette look as though it had been painted.

Penelope cried out, her body moving forward managing to break free from Claude's tight hold. She had no idea where the sudden burst of power came from but she did not have time to think about it. She felt her hands collide with the cold stone as she looked over the edge of the roof and before she could see the now lifeless body of Leonard a hand had clamped itself over her eyes. She let out a strangled sob and collapsed to the ground. It was finally over; she was free of immediate danger yet to gain such freedom cost so many lives.

His last words echoed in her head and she batted Claude's hand away from her eyes, turning her head so she could not see the result on the ground below. She could only stare into the sunset, the colours which had once looked soothing suddenly looked ominous and she felt deeply unnerved. She felt a hand tilt her chin up and her eyes met gold.

"What did he mean?" She asked desperately.

"He was insane Penelope. His words meant nothing". Claude replied and gently pulled her against him. She didn't know how long they stayed in that position but she felt her body giving up as it longed for sleep. The day had taken such a toll on her and the last though she had before her mind went blank was that she was finally free to live her life with no more fear of her imminent demise.


	29. Chapter 29

It had been three days since the fateful events that led to the loss of so many lives, both innocent and guilty. The newspapers were rife with discussions over the murders and in the end detectives had settled for the idea that Leonard had been the perpetrator behind such horrific crimes. The newspapers told of Leonard's friendship with the Lord and how he was most likely jealous of the Lord's extreme wealth as he had inherited nothing when his father had died. It turned out in fact that when Penelope's uncle had died he was heavily in debt as he had gambled all his savings away and Leonard had changed his name in an attempt to get away from such debt.

Somehow the destruction to the manor and the body of Lucy were never discovered and Penelope had a feeling Claude had managed to deal with such issues when she had fallen asleep. She did not recall a lot from that night and she was glad her mind had done her a favour and blocked some of the more traumatic encounters out. She couldn't forget Lord Davis though nor her cousin jumping to his death. All in all, Penelope was still exhausted and had spent a few days just sat in her library looking outside, staring blankly into space. She needed time to herself and Claude had been more than helpful by managing to contact Victoria and giving her an extended holiday.

However, Penelope was no longer sat at her comfy seat but instead enduring the harsh winds and bitter rain as she watched the coffin of Lord Davis get slowly lowered further and further into the ground. She was not wearing her usual cheerful or elegant colours but instead draped in the blackest black imaginable. Her fiery red hair was clipped back and a dark vale covered her face. She knew very well that people were whispering about her, after all Lord Davis was trying to court her. She endured the sympathetic glances and with one dainty hand covered in a black lace glove, she threw the red rose she was holding into the fresh grave. It landed with a soft thud upon the wood and Penelope felt a single tear trickle down her pale cheek. With Claude behind her, she walked away from the large congregation ignoring the hushed discussions of her cousin and her relationship with the Lord, and made her way to the opposite side of the cemetery.

As she walked, she observed another funeral occurring in her direction. Unlike the one she had just left there was not a single being there and Penelope stopped for a couple of seconds to watch as the coffin was lowered into the ground. She gave the grave a small glance and carried on walking straight to the exit, wanting to get home as soon as possible. As she walked away, Claude turned around and glanced at the gravestone which they had just seen. In large letters spelt out the name Leonard and a few other details. Not one flower was placed on his grave.

The ride back was as quiet as Penelope had been over the past few days. She seemed empty as though she had been defeated which confused Claude as she was finally free. He didn't know how much longer she was to remain in such a depressed state but he was determined to shake her out of it. He had kept away to allow her time to grieve in peace and collect her thoughts but now the funeral was out of the way he knew she had to move on. Something which Penelope knew also.

She left the carriage once they arrived back and as she entered the house she gave a small gasp at the sight in front of her. The entrance hall was littered in a spectacle of bright colours and she pressed a gloved hand to her mouth. Turning around she gave Claude a confused look as to ask why they were there.

"Such dark colours do not suit you Penelope". He explained softly and Penelope gently nodded her head. With her hand she pulled off the vale which had been hiding some of her features and she let it float softly to the ground.

"Perhaps you are right. I have wallowed enough in my own sadness for a while now. I think it's finally time to enjoy living, don't you?" she asked a small smile gracing her lips. Her eyes still held a certain sadness but she seemed less fragile than she had done before. Claude in turn nodded and bent down to collect her vale. As he lifted his head up however he made a surprised noise when in front of him were two gloves. Then a coat and further up the stairs a discarded corset. She gave him a pointed look from the top of the stairs and peeled away a black shirt leaving her in nothing but her underclothes. Like she was peeling away the grief that had consumed her for days, he was happy to finally hear the tinkling laugh that had been away for far to long. He gave her a grin in reply and watched as she ran off, most likely to her bedroom. She was teasing him but he knew that she did not wish from intimacy at the moment. She needed love and he was more than happy to oblige.

It didn't take him long to follow her and when he entered her bedroom without knocking he gave a genuine smile at the sight in front of him. Penelope stood at her window wearing a pale lilac dress, her hair free from its restraints flowing happily down her back and she seemed somewhat relaxed. Quietly, Claude put the discarded clothes away but kept his eyes on her as she remained transfixed on the outside. The rain was slowly starting to disappear and in the distance the sun had begun to come out of its hiding spot from behind the clouds.

Claude then moved and gently wrapped his arms around her petite waist, happy to have her lean into him. He had never thought for one moment when he had been indebted to her that he would end up falling for her. All of his existence Claude had despised the human race, viewing them as so much simpler as himself. And although secretly he held distaste towards them, Penelope was undoubtedly different. He still craved her soul of course but would never act on taking it. She meant too much to him now. A soft hum broke through his quiet thoughts and he felt her hands laced through his own, giving him a small squeeze.

"You know, I have absolutely no idea what to do with myself". She murmured, her voice light and calm. Claude didn't respond immediately but instead pulled her up and spun her around causing a small laugh to erupt from the red head.

"You can't possibly be bored". He chuckled, placing her down on the ground and watching as she turned around.

"I wouldn't say bored, It's just odd not worrying for once". She said as she began to make her way out of the room. As she walked down the stairs, the large window near the door shone a single beam of light directly through onto her, bathing her in a yellow glow. She stopped in her tracks to allow the warmth touch her skin and closed her eyes basking in the small amount of sunlight. She couldn't remember when the last time she had enough time to simply enjoy life as it was and felt a small smile tug at her lips. She wanted to forget the past few days and enjoy her life to the fullest. Yet she felt as though there was something which needed to be done.

"Claude, can you get the carriage prepared please". She spoke softly, not even flinching when Claude appeared by her side within a blink of an eye. He opened the door and sunlight flooded in causing Penelope to use her hand to shield her eyes from the hatrsh glow. Claude passed her a white coat and looking down at her feet Penelope realised Claude had also brought some shoes for her. Dressed in pale colours, Penelope put her shoes on quickly and walked to the carriage, her mind in deep thought.

"Where would you like to go?" Claude asked, his hand bumping the roof causing the horses to start walking.

"The woods please". She answered and although she did not specify which one, Claude knew exactly and tapped the roof again. He watched her with an odd expression and she felt a sad smile tug at her lips at his confused response. She gently sat next to and used her hand to stroke his pale face, tracing the distinct outline of his cheekbones and his lips. When her fingers made contact with his lips she felt him press a tender kiss to them and she looked away quickly with a blush tainting her skin. She took off the white coat quietly and folded it carefully, wishing to enjoy the day's warmth to its fullest. She received a slightly pointed look from Claude who was no doubt thinking of her staying warm but she just ignored his expression, her eyes fully transfixed on the woodland up ahead.

When they arrived, she didn't wait for him to open the door and she walked at a fast pace further and further into the trees her mind recalling the first time she had visited. The roots beneath her feet just as wicked as they had been and unlike the golden leaves littering the floor, the soil was muddy, the dead leaves pressed harshly into the mud. Picking up her skirts she began to skip, the young girl in her breaking free and she felt an odd sense of familiarity and had a feeling it was nearby where her life changed forever.

"Why here?" Asked a quiet voice and Penelope almost laughed at how confused her butler was.

"It was here that I asked you to be my friend forever. It was here that your freedom ended and mine has truly begun". As she spoke, she circled the now suddenly still demon. His eyes were narrowed as he started to understand the gravity of her words. She stopped when she faced him and her eyes were full of unshed tears.

"I feel you have been in this debt far too long". She whispered. "I would like to r-"She never got to finish her sentence when she felt cold lips crush her own. She felt herself fall to the ground yet her back never made a sharp impact but instead a soft one. She moaned against the kiss and her tears spilled through her closed eyes.

"I want you to be free Claude". She whispered brokenly and Claude carefully removed his glasses. Her dress was ruined from the mud and yet she still looked fantastic in his eyes. She noticed that without the normal glint of the glasses, his own golden eyes were glassy with a dark red liquid.

"I am only free when I am with you. You are my saviour; my soul. You are my meaning; my life will always be yours. I do not need release when I have you. I love you Penelope. Allow me to share your life, your freedom, your happiness. Do not push me away now". His voice held so much emotion that Penelope felt a sob erupt from her lips. She didn't want to live without him but she wanted to give him a chance of his own freedom. His words now however made her truly realise that he wanted her and she just nodded her head in reply. She could not speak for the emotions she was feeling were too powerful. He remained on top, pinning her down and he watched as a single drop of red fell onto her lilac skirts, staining the beautiful material. His hand went to his face and he gave a surprised grunt at the red liquid, unused to such a sight.

"I love you too". She whispered and he brought his attention back to the girl in front of him. He bent down giving her a deep kiss and suddenly had an idea. The sun that was leaking through the trees showed that they still had time in the day to explore and Claude, in one swoop, lifted her and himself off the floor.

"I want no more talk about my freedom again". He demanded, his voice back to its usual cold bored tone. She nodded her head with a sniffle and laughed when she found a handkerchief pressed against her face.

"Now I do believe you have always wanted to see a fairy".

**A/N The End! It has finally happened and I would like to thank everyone for their kind reviews, it has been the driving force behind me writing this story. A big thank you to everyone who also favourited and followed this story as well! It is kind of bitter sweet to say goodbye to this story but I hope everyone has enjoyed reading it. Thanks again!**


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